the territory
Lucca is the Italian province with the highest presence of biodynamic wine farms thanks to the network established in 2016 by the cooperative action of local farmers through the Lucca Biodinamica association, which promotes knowledge sharing around agroecological practices.
The network is formed by16 wineries that avoided competition and turned to each other for help in adopting a sustainable viticultural approach through biodynamics. They are mostly located in the Lucca Province, in the municipalities of Lucca, Capannori, Borgo in Mozzano, Gallicano, Camaiore and Careggine. Most are wine producers, but there are also companies involved with the production of olive oil, honey, and vegetables.
Lucca is also a touristic destination that well represent the mix of historical, cultural heritage and landscape that is expected from Tuscany. Wine is a factor of territorial identity linked to the local culture and heritage. More than two thirds of the farms in Tuscany are located in PDO areas.
The territory is highly diversified, both in terms of landscape and agricultural production: floriculture, horticulture, livestock, chestnut groves, wood production, olive growing and wine growing.
Case study referee
Daniele Vergamini
Other participants
Sabrina Arcuri, Silvia Rolandi, Raiza Rocha O Teixeira
daniele.vergamini@unipi.it
Territorial food system
Type of region : Rural region with specialized agriculture
Approximate size and population
Around 390000 inh; 530.42 km2 (the whole Lucca Province 1773 km2).
Slow depopulation
Type of agriculture
Farms: between 2-6 ha in average.
Wine, olive oil, vegetables and cereals; fodder production.
Short circuits (and anteriority)
Main social issues
Unemployment scored 7.1% in 2020, higher than the regional average of 6.6% but lower compared to the national level (9.2%). Female unemployment rate is below than male one (6.3%/7.8%).
Unequal distribution of land and natural resources.
Presence of agroecologial systems
If we just consider the 16 producers that belong to the Lucca Biodinamica network, can be quite high, as it is the most concentrated biodynamic cluster in Italy, while in the Province of Lucca there is a low rate (around 5% of UAA is organic, 4% in conversion).
Most of the farms were already organic before becoming biodynamic in 2002, and among those previously organic many started with the integrated pest management scheme supported within the Rural Development Framework of the Tuscany Region
Specific agri-food system dynamics and initiatives (and anteriority)
Alternative food network, short circuits; based on the openness of the Lucca B. community; food and environmental education provided by the different members of the network;
Agrifood transition
Main stakes for the transition : Climate change, soil & biodiversity protection and landscape maintenance / food accessibility & education / Quality, but with an approach that goes over the standards
Key obstacles to AE transition
Lack of political support, strong leadership;
Leading actors in the transition
Municipal authorities (admin + politics); The network of biodynamic producers; Researchers at University of Pisa and Florence; Laboratorio Sismondi; the Biodynamic network supported by Alex Podolinsky (Biodynamic Agricultural Association of Australia – BDAAA); strong and active civil society in Lucca.
Institutionalisation of the agrifood transition
Strong link with the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) framework both for Pillar I and II, but it will depend on how operationally new measures will be received in the context of the Italian National Strategic Plan (eco-schemes and agro-climatic-environmental payments).
Actors excluded from projects
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Key initiatives
3 innovative initiatives
Lucca Biodinamica
Local networks of biodynamic wine farms
Lucca Biodynamics at the table
Event organized over a week in which it is possible to discover both the culture and the local food
La Festa di San Giovanni
Event held once a year to celebrate the network and its products open to the entire regional territory