Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) have considerable potential to play a role in nature-based tourism, generating income especially in inland and rural areas in the Mediterranean. The growing appreciation for locally-sourced, natural, traditional and wild resources offers a clear opportunity to develop new markets and value chains for NWFPs. Yet in order to fully realise this opportunity, infrastructure and marketing strategies are needed to boost innovation in NWFP-rich rural areas.
In the Taro Valley (PR) in Emilia Romagna, Italy, the ‘Fungo di Borgotaro IGP‘ has successfully used mushrooms for the promotion of the territory and tourism, becoming a very interesting Italian case study. This is the starting point for the first cross-cutting seminar in the Innovation Networks of Cork, Resins and Edibles in the Mediterranean Basin (INCREDIBLE) project, to be held in Albereto, Italy, on 10 – 11 May 2019. Integrating NWFP in territorial marking and ecosystem services value chains will include more Italian NWFP examples, from truffles and wild berries to cork and aromatic & medicinal plants, as well as sessions on fiscal reform, interactive activities on territorial marketing and a field trip in the region.
Cross-cutting seminars
A total of three cross-cutting seminars are planned over the course of the INCREDIBLE project. These events aim to create cross-sectorial partnerships and support NWFP actors and practitioners to find innovative solutions to develop NWFP markets in the Mediterranean. Subsequent seminars will be held later this year on “Innovative business and entrepreneurship for NWFPs” and “ITC tools for improved NWFP value chains and market intelligence”
About INCREDIBLE
Innovation Networks of Cork, Resins and Edibles in the Mediterranean Basin is an Innovation Network open to all those involved or interested in creating economic, social and environmental value through improved production, collection, processing, marketing of Mediterranean Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFP). INCREDIBLE is coordinated by the EFI Mediterranean Facility and funded by the EU Commission H2020 framework programme for the period November 2017 to October 2020.
