ADDING VALUE TO AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES IN CENTRAL ITALY LFAs:
Demonstration projects for production, processing and marketing of fine animal fibre systems.

S. Misiti*, C. Renieri**, M. Antonini*, M. Trabalza Marinucci**,M. Iannetta*, V. Abbadessa*, G. Schino*.

* Sezione Miglioramento delle Produzioni Animali, ENEA, S.P. Anguillarese 301, 00060 Roma, Italy
** Facoltá di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá di Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica, Italy

This paper describes two projects aimed at the development of new entrprises in less favoured areas of Central Italy. The projects will create integrated demonstration systems along the whole textile line, implement a quality and typical-product mark, organise a network of information and training, and contribute to the recovery of abandoned areas and to rural development. In the first project Angora goats and Alpacas will be introduced in the Umbria region. The fibre thus produced will be processed by local small industrial/craft firms so as to produce first small quantities of high quality spun, and then typical knitwear and textile. A demonstration centre will also be established. The second project , carried out in the Marche region, will consist in the selection of a line of naturally coloured Sopravvissana sheep (a local breed) by means of crossing with coloured Merinos males imported from New Zealand. The production of naturally coloured spun and knitwear will involve local small industrial/craft firms. It is hoped that the success of these projects will demonstrate the role of similar integrated systems in adding value to agricultural enterprises and in the recovery and rural development of European less favoured areas.

INTRODUCTION

The projects described here aim at the development of new enterprises able to promote the creation of added value in less favoured areas of Central Italy (Umbria and Marche regions). The hypothesised production system takes into account the three main phases of the textile line:- production of fine fibre from Angora goats, Alpacas, and Merinos sheep;- transformation into finished products;- qualification and commercialisation of finished products. Such system must be integrated with local agricultural, craft/industrial and tourist activities while guaranteeing a low environmental impact, and is expected to promote a sustainable socio-economic development and a recovery of local textile culture and tradition.

Aims- Creation of an integrated demonstration system along the whole textile line in a less favoured area by means of the introduction of Angora goats and Alpacas, and the recovery of endangered local Merinos breeds.- Implementation of a quality and typical-product mark so as to create added value and marketing chains alternative to the traditional systems.- Recovery of abandoned areas and environmental protection by means of ecologically sustainable production systems.- Rural development, through the integration of the hypothesised system with extant production enterprises.- Organisation of a network of information and training aimed at the replication of similar experiences in different areas.

Implementation- The project described here is divided into two geographically separatedinterventions.1) Introduction of fine fibre animals (Angora goat and Alpaca) into marginal areas in Umbria region.2) Production of naturally coloured sheep fibre from Sopravvissana and derived breeds in Marche region.

ANGORA AND ALPACA PROJECT IN UMBRIA REGION

Working area - The working area is represented by the Upper Tiber Valley, situated in the northern most part of the Umbria region, at the border with Tuscany and Marche, forming part of the rural lands under objective 5b. The demonstration activity will be conducted in the Azienda Agrituristica Maridiana, Valle del Niccone, Umbertide Municipality (Perugia), located at400 m a.s.l. and extending over 31 hectares divided into woodlands (9.25ha), pasture lands (16.45 ha) and olive groves (5.36 ha).

Socio-economics - The area has negative demographic rates. The low-density populated Municipalities are experiencing substantial depopulation, with the risk of arriving at demographic marginality. The recent economic recession has brought about a high average unemployment rate which in certain areas exceeds 12.50%. Under the socio-demographic aspect the Upper Tiber Valley can be divided into areas with a rural system reference centre (Citt=FD diCastello), areas with a rural connective tissue (Umbertide, S. Giustino and Citerna) and areas with a retarded rural development (Lisciano Niccone,Monte S.M. Tiberina, Montone and Pietralunga). In these areas many farmers had to renounce husbandry especially in the cattle raising sector. The number of sheep and goats instead has slightly increased in that they have in part replaced cattle, given their adaptability to grazing. Sheep and goats are raised for milk and meat, but they also offer a limited income due to the high competition existing with the Eastern countries. The introduction of high-quality fibre animals could be vertically integrated with the large presence and tradition of the local textile industry. In fact the Umbrian textile sector accounts for about 50% of the total industrial production. The Perugia province alone has about 145 wool factories and 14 spinning mills. The recent economic recession has affected especially the small and medium firms which, however, have been able to survive utilising high quality fibres (mohair, alpaca and cashmere).

Project Scheme- Management of the herd in the Maridiana agritouristic farm.- Involvement of small industrial/craft firms in the transformation of small amounts of fibre into high quality spun.- Craft production of knitwear and textile according to original styling so as to obtain typical quality products.- Organisation of alternative marketing chains (social, cultural and economic shows).- Creation of a demonstration centre in the Maridiana agritouristic farm to allow training and the diffusion of similar enterprises.

Participants and Roles - Maridiana farm (IT): herd management and hosting of the demonstration centre.- Glass Consulting (UK): grazing management and fibre processing.- Antiche Terre co-operative society (IT): general co-ordination, training, and information.- ENEA CR Casaccia, INN BIOAG PAN: management of the livestock, monitoring of the quality parameters of the fibre, handling of the local industrial processing and co-ordination of the activities of dissemination of the initiative.

MERINOS PROJECT IN MARCHE REGION

Working area - Six herds will be distributed in mountainous and hilly areas under objective 5b in the Marche region. The herds will be housed in the following farms:- Ascoli Piceno province: Az. Agrituristica "La Campana";- Macerata province: Az. Agricole F. Amici, M. Aureli, F. Angeli;- Pesaro province: Az. Agricola Pellini & Santini;- Ancona province: Az. Agricola Comunitá Incontro (Drug addict recovery community).

Socio-economics - The area was traditionally devoted to sheep and goat farming, but the progressive abandonment has led to a shift from an agro-pastoral economy to an assisted and tourist economy. The area has thus undergone a degradation of the traditional landscape and an ageing of the resident population. Sheep are bred for meat and milk (transformed into cheese) in small family farms with the help, when possible, of non European labour. Between1982 and 1990 there has been a 7.5% reduction in the number of farms and a29% increase in the number of heads (due to extensivization). Production of high quality naturally coloured wool, obtained by creating specific genetic lines, could easily integrate with the local textile industry. In the Marche region, in fact, about 200 textile firms are present, testifying an old tradition which in the past led to the selection of the Sopravissana sheep breed, the only Italian Merinos breed together with the Gentile di Puglia.

Project Scheme - The project will last three years and will be developed along the following phases:1) Herd management: the herd will be formed by 200 Sopravissana ewes divided between the six farms mentioned above. Such ewes will be mated to12 black and brown Merinos males from New Zealand following a cross and paternal back-cross mating scheme.2) Involvement of small industrial/craft firms in the transformation of small amounts of wool into high quality spun.3) Production of naturally coloured knitwear and textile in collaboration with local clothing firms.4) Diffusion of the acquired knowledge to the scientific community, the personnel involved in technical assistance, and the breeders by means of conferences, talks, meetings, and written material to make circulate.

Participants and Roles - ESAM (Ente di Sviluppo Agricolo delle Marche): General co-ordination.- Universitá di Camerino, Facoltá di Veterinaria: Planning and control of reproduction; testing of natural colours; fibre transformation technology.- CNR, Istituto Rivetti of Biella: Analysis of textile qualities of spun and finished products; fibre transformation technology.- ENEA, CR Casaccia, INN BIOAG PAN: evaluation of wool production.- C.T.A. (Centro Tessile Abbigliamento) of Pesaro: Production of finished products.- OVI.CA (Associazione Allevatori Ovini e Caprini) of the Marche region: Training and information; herd management.

Conclusions - These projects involve different actors in vertically integrated systems, from production of the raw material (ecological production of fine fibre and naturally coloured wool) up to marketing of the finished product in agri-tourist and rural environments, with a strong value added return during the phases preceding the final marketing. These projects are potentially reproducible at various national and European levels, especially in marginal areas, with the aim of recovering rural zones. However, they require the possibility of integrating into the same area livestock, agri-tourism and small/medium industrial or handicraft activities. The conditions for the success of these projects are therefore particularly favourable in textile-oriented Italian and European areas.