Estive a ler o resumo de um estudo feito na Universidade de Wageningen, na Holanda (Só o sumário porque o resto estava em Holandês).
Publico aqui o dito sumário pois parece-me muito importante que os agricultores portugueses despertem para esta nova realidade. A Agricultura multidimensional não é só o Turismo Rural. Em Portugal existem inumeras oportunidades e pontos de interesse como a gastronomia, a caça, o repouso e o "relax".
Mas eu vejo aqui mais oportunidades ainda: trazer os consumidores ao campo em programa desenvolvidos não para turistas endinheirados ingleses mas sim para portugueses que têm uma vida urbana; estratégias de comunicação que aproximem o produtores da comida que se vende nas cidades; a exploração de conceitos que protegem a qualidade alimentar e estimulam a consciência social, como a agricultura biológica ou o a compra de produtos locais para reduzir emissões de carbono.
Houve em Março um simpósio na Holanda acerca de um conceito novo que se está a desenvolver: "Low input breeds". Está a ser estudada para bovinos, suinos, ovinos e galináceos. Tenho estado a tentar apanhar alguma bibliografia de lá mas ainda não consegui. No entanto isto parece-me óbvio: ESTA É UMA OPORTUNIDADE DE OURO PARA FAZERMOS VALER O NOSSO EXTENSIVO!!!
Bem, para não me alargar mais, aqui vai o dito sumário:
Summary
Multifunctional agriculture seeks the direct contact with citizens and aims to meet specific societal
demands by offering social products and services next to their agricultural products. This report
focuses on the wishes and demands of different, existing and new, target groups of multifunctional
agriculture. We started with a literature search on citizens’ needs and wishes concerning agriculture
and the countryside in general. Wishes of citizens often appear to be based on a rather conservative
and idyllic image of the countryside. One desires a diversified, green landscape in which one can
recreate, acquire healthy and tasty food, and visit farms in order to meet animals, observe the food
production processes, and experience farm live.
For the segmentation of society into different target groups, the Mentality
TM
- model of the research
institute Motivaction was used (www.en.motivaction.nl). This model distinguishes several social
milieus in society, based on differences in values and lifestyles. From these milieus the ‘traditional
bourgeois’, the ‘modern bourgeois’, and the ‘post-materialists’ are important current target groups of
multifunctional agriculture. As potentially interesting new target groups the ‘social climbers’ and
‘traditional immigrants’ have been selected.
In four consultation meetings, the needs and wishes of the different target groups concerning
(multifunctional) agriculture were explored. These needs and wishes appeared to be rather different.
The traditional bourgeois visits farms for experiencing traditions, remembrances, food quality and a
beautiful landscape. The modern bourgeois comes for relaxation, amusement and consumption. A
post-materialist wants to experience nature, space, quietness and asks for authenticity, pureness and
locality of (food) products. Social climbers want individuality, luxury, comfort and amusement but also
value healthy and tasteful food very much. Turkish traditionals, finally, want to come together with
large families and groups of friends and to take part in food production processes, from harvesting to
cooking. For them healthy and ‘traditional’ food with a recognizable taste is important.
In spite of the differences, it is remarkable that the obtainability of healthy, tasty and good food is one
of the most important and broadest shared motives to visit a farm. Another remarkable fact is that the
two potential new target groups do not need very special, alternative products or services. Many of
their needs and wishes are already met, or easy to meet, by current multifunctional farms. This makes
both target groups favourable.
An important conclusion of the report is that the most important innovation of current multifunctional
agriculture comprises the way of communication. Both new target groups can be reached via oral
publicity within their own networks. For the social climbers this means the use of electronic social
media; for the Turkish traditions this means the use of channels via mosque or society. When
multifunctional agriculture succeeds in addressing the right channels, there are good possibilities to
involve new target groups and generate new markets.
