Creation of a micro value-chain for a local variety of rye, the ‘Iermana’

This measure demonstrates the role that local authorities can play in supporting local development through on-farm conservation of traditional varieties. The objective was to support farming activities in marginal areas, rather than establishing some sort of an ‘open-air museum’. During the period 2013-2014, Agenzia Lucana di Sviluppo ed Innovazione in Agricoltura (ALSIA), an agency of the regional government of the Basilicata region supporting agricultural development and innovation, carried out a survey among farmers of the region to identify rye growers. Four farmers cultivating a total area of 2 ha with an old variety called ‘Iermana’ or ‘Germana’ were identified. In 2018, ALSIA succeeded in registering the local ‘Iermana’ rye variety on the Italian National Seed Catalogue in the ‘Conservation Varieties’ section. Activities for value-chain development allowed to increase the area cultivated with ‘Iermana’ rye from 2 to 15 ha, while the number of farmers cultivating the variety increased from 4 to 30. This success demonstrates the importance of the ‘conservation through use’ approach for the conservation of local PGRFA.