Case Study

Flavio Orsini

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Flavio Orsini

1. Introduction

a. Essence of the Best Practice

The best practice is related to a kind legume similar to a small bean, Vigna unguicolata L. Walp., between 3 and 7 mm long, with origins in Northern Africa and traditionally cultivated in the Lake Trasimeno area in Umbria since ancient times. Such a legume, called cowpea, was found inside pots unearthed during the excavations of Pompei and collected with other plant residues (Archeobotanica: Reperti vegetali da Pompei e dal territorio vesuviano, Borgongino M., 2006). This ancient legume was endangered and at risk to be completely lost because of its substitution with more productive crops around the Lake Trasimeno in the years ‘60s and ‘70s. Only four old farmers continued this cultivation. One of them was Flavio Orsini’s father, Italo, who encouraged his son to continue this tradition. Olio, vino, ceci neri, farro, miglio, cereali, animali fattoria didattica, e fertilizzazione oliveto.

b. What/ How/ Who/ Where

In 1996, Flavio Orsini started his farm, after having been helping since he was very young his father, owner of an 8 ha farm. Following his father Italo’s traditional heritage, Flavio rented and then bought 40 ha. land and started to manage his own farm, also continuing to reproduce and cultivate that special legume called “Fagiolina del Trasimeno”. The Fagiolina, which taxonomic name is Vigna unguiculata L. Walp., and commonly called in English cowpea, can be sown in April/May and harvested in summer, also selecting the seeds from the best plants at the beginning of harvesting in July/August to sow the year after. Following the tradition Flavio decided to maintain the manual works, including multiple harvesting, the only way to get all the seeds with all their colors, depending on different time of maturation lasting up to 3 months in summer and engaging therefore farmers severely. Flavio who is going to be retired is taking the decision to collect all the family companies under one collective name, FASA (Flavio, Alessandra, Sara and Alice, himself, his wife and two daughters). The perseverance of the Orsini family and other few seed savers convinced the local institutions to recover this biodiversity and stimulate other farmers to be engaged in the seed saving and cultivation. Projects financed by the Rural Development Plan of Umbria since the end of the years 90’s gave the opportunity to study and characterize the existing field populations, their phenotype peculiarities, the germplasm saved at the Gene Bank of the University of Perugia, the complete genetic analysis. A Presidium Slow Food was acknowledged in 2000 and a farmers’ consortium titled “Fagiolina del Trasimeno” was constituted in 2002 collecting all farmers. All this work generated interest at national level, particularly from Slow Food that declared officially in 2006 at the International Exhibition in Turin “fagiolina” as an agricultural biodiversity of primary world importance. The name “Fagiolina del Trasimeno” was registered as an intellectual property of the Consortium with the objective to identify, develop and protect this production as limited and reserved to the area surrounding the lake Trasimeno. It is registered since 2013 as agricultural biodiversity in the regional register of Umbria.

2. Given Situation before Startup/ Change

a. Existing farm or new/ side entry

The Orsini family farm was one of the very few resisting with the legume production, following the ancient tradition of the “Fagiolina” in the area of the lake Trasimeno. The perseverance of the Orsini family and other few seed savers convinced the local institutions to recover this biodiversity and stimulate other farmers to be engaged in the seed saving. Projects financed by the Rural Development Plan of Umbria since the end of the years 90’s gave the opportunity to study and characterize the existing field populations, their phenotype peculiarities, the germplasm saved at the Gene Bank of the University of Perugia, the complete genetic analysis. A Presidium Slow Food was acknowledged in 2000 and a farmers’ consortium titled “Fagiolina del Trasimeno” was constituted in 2002 collecting all farmers. All this work generated interest at national level, particularly from Slow Food that declared officially in 2006 at the International Exhibition in Turin “fagiolina” as an agricultural biodiversity of primary world importance. The name “Fagiolina del Trasimeno” was registered as an intellectual property of the Consortium with the objective to identify, develop and protect this production as reserved to the area surrounding the lake Trasimeno. It is registered since 2013 as agricultural biodiversity in the regional register of the Region Umbria. Flavio currently continues the family farm tradition, together with his wife Alessandra, and their two daughters, Sara and Alice. The 40-ha farm, including 1 ha reserved to the cultivation of Fagiolina, is extensively cultivated with cereals, emmer and corn, other legumes, i.e. black chickpea, vineyard and olive trees, producing his own wine and extra-virgin olive oil. There are pastures with cattle and sheep contributing to provide with natural compost and meat for guests of the didactic farm.

3. Decisions made at the beginning (AIMS/ GOALS)

a. Selection of Seeds/ Breeds/ Location for Production

The Fagiolina (cowpea) seeds are reproduced by the farmer himself for the seasonal crop cultivation maintaining the multicolor characteristics by scalar hand harvesting. The selection is based on natural pollination and intraspecies crossing. The reproduction and cultivation of the Fagiolina is therefore obtained at farm, located on a hill with a view to lake Trasimeno, on 1 ha out of 40 ha total area.

b. Decision for the production system (Intensive, extensive, organic, biodynamic)

The cultivation of the Fagiolina is specialized, but not intensive, according to the Slow Food process rules and certification. Some farmers have selected the white color for mechanical harvesting to avoid the costs of the manual work, but this technique can reduce the multicolor biodiversity that is so important for this species, with more than twenty different colors found. The manual operations are convenient however because of the difference with the mechanical harvesting producing just 350 kg/ha instead of the 1,000 kg of the manual harvesting. All farmers participating to the Consortium have adopted the organic process rules but not all have also adopted the organic certification, such as in the case of the Orsini family.

c. Decision about Processing stage and Market depth

The Fagiolina is cleaned, dried and selected for the under vacuum packaging, necessary to avoid the dangerous parasite weevil (Acanthoscelides obtectus). As an alternative, during the first stage of the summer the cowpea pod can be harvested for consumption as fresh and used to make sauces for pasta or in a slice of grilled bread with extra-virgin olive oil. The skin, very thin and imperceptible to the taste, remains firmly attached to the seed after cooking. 

d. Decision for the Market to be delivered: B2B and/or B2C

The Fagiolina produced by the Orsini family is cultivated without synthetic chemicals, according to the principles of organic farming, but not certificated as organic. The Slow Food certification is a guarantee for the consumers of the traditional process reproducing the multicolor variability of the seeds and complete hand scalar harvesting. The Fagiolina produced currently by around 40 farmers mostly goes directly from the farmer to the consumer, at farm or in farmers’ markets, then as second option to niche market dealers, and just with limited quantities to some supermarkets.

4. Gallery

5. Measures taken to establish the business (PLANNING/SETTING)

a. Network, Exchange, Training, Counselling

The farm owner and his family manage all the cultivation, packaging, and marketing phases. They are a didactic farm authorized by the Region Umbria and organize visits to the farm with explanation of their traditional farming with specific reference to Fagiolina, from its historical references to the methodology needed for the cultivation and harvesting up to the tasting based on traditional recipes, such as the classic soup of Fagiolina, or innovative processing, such as the homemade noodles with Fagiolina filling.

b. Single Farm/ Cooperation/ Cooperative

Single farm producing cerals, wine, extra virgin olive oil and Fagiolina, all managed at farm by the Orsini family and mostly consumed or bought by the people hosted at the didacted farm but associated to the Consortium “Fagiolina del Trasimeno”.

6. Next steps to move on (MOVE ON/ ADAPT)

a. Steps in production/ processing/ selling

The next step that is running through the Consortium, the Municipality of Castiglione del Lago, and the support of the Technological Park of Umbria-3A is the presentation of the dossier for the acknowledgement of the “Fagiolina del Trasimeno” as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF) and by the European Union.

b. Steps ahead in relevant Markets

The quantity of Fagiolina produced by about 40 farmers is currently too low to get to new markets. It is mostly all sold within the regional market and to some niche market dealers of Northern Italian big cities and chefs. The success of Fagiolina and the future acknowledgement as PDO can open new opportunities with enlargement of the Consortium and increase of the production. The didactic farm is successful and attended by groups of guests who appreciate a lot the visit and the story telling and tasting experience. This is also a way to let know better the importance of this agricultural biodiversity and spread this knowledge in Italy and abroad. The visits are also included in the opportunities offered by local tourism offices and tour operators.

7. Quote and Recommendation of the Promoter

a. Is it worth it?

The Fagiolina itself is a low water-need crop, useful for the soil nitrogen fixing action and it is very requested in the market for its herbaceous flavor and special taste, very different of all other legumes and highly appreciated by famous chefs.

b. What is the biggest revenue, what is the biggest challenge?

The biggest revenue is already reached as the Fagiolina was saved from loss and the price on the market, comprised between 18 and 24€ per kilo can be satisfactory for the producers. The biggest challenge is to involve a new generation of farmers to keep alive this tradition and enlarge the fame of “Fagiolina del Trasimeno” through the acknowledgement of the PDO.

c. What you recommend to other farmers?

The Fagiolina, as it is an ancient local biodiversity geographically located around the lake Trasimeno, is a niche market dedicated genetic resource that can be developed according to the geographical and community limits. The convenience for the farmers come from its general appreciation and worldwide acknowledgement that can be strengthened by the PDO certification. It is also convenient for farmers and all the communities around the lake Trasimeno to be included as visits within tour operators’ and tourism offices’ offers to visitors, with further incomes and practical experience on traditional recipes based on Fagiolina.

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