On July 8, 2017 was launched the project for enhancing agrobiodiversity with innovative products, realized by Cooperativa Agricola La Fiorita with Istituto Agrario Della Lucia of Feltre, ENAIP Veneto – sezione di Feltre and Consorzio Dolomiti Prealpi and financed by the Development Rural Program of Veneto. The aim is to make snacks and other high-value products. The first phase will be devoted to market research.

The idea behind the project is as simple as innovative. Starting from the so-called “minor cereals”, such as barley, spelled, corn, rye, buckwheat, the partners involved will try to develop a range of high-healthy, easy-to-use food products that result from careful research and solutions. Innovative technological processes, both for malting, roasting, milling and all the different processing phases, as well as packaging and marketing.

“We started with a simple insight – explains Stefano Sanson, teacher and agronomist, partner of the” La Fiorita” Cooperative – following numerous inputs over time: why not try to give a new and smarter look to the traditional agro-food productions  of Dolomites, particularly cereals, thus expanding the basin of potential users? For example, students and sportsmen could be the ideal consumer of snacks and energy bars made with cereals and products of high nutritional value and health, presented in an innovative and totally devoted to ecology form. “

The project, which received the second score at the regional level, was funded by 50,000 euros within the measure 16.1 of 2014-2020 Rural Development Program.

“The ultimate goal is to create agreements and relationships between agricultural producers and local production communities, intercepting the different needs and thus offering consumers, kitchen enthusiasts, food craftsmen, brewers, breweries, catering, athletes, students and many other categories of consumers, what they are looking for: high quality processed products and a strong bond with the territory, with a great focus on environmental sustainability and valorisation of biodiversity. But first of all, we will need to know the real needs of the territory through a first phase, which will last about a year and which is currently funded, in which we will try to divulge the idea and evaluate the actual technical and socio-economic feasibility. To this end, we produced a first series of questionnaires that we will submit to consumers. We will start already during the Barley Fest scheduled this weekend. This first questionnaire will be followed by others, which will be presented to consumers, producers, caterers, all categories involved in product development. We are also building a website, www.dolomitismartfood.it, where you can find all the information about the project and interact with us.”