Best Practices of Agro-Food Sector in Basilicata Region (Italy): Evidences from INNOVAGRO Project

The production context linked to the agricultural sector in Basilicata is not very competitive, especially in international contexts. In fact, there are few companies that occupy a good market position beyond the border. The reasons are to be found in the high degree of fragmentation, in the high percentage of small businesses, mainly family-run, and a general low propensity to entrepreneurship. The low aptitude of agricultural producers to form consortia or establish any other formal collaboration is a further factor on which to act in order to improve the competitiveness of their respective sectors. The project “Development of an innovative network for the promotion of agro-food enterprises in the Adriatic-Ionian area” (INNOVAGRO) was born with the aim of enhancing existing virtuous models and proposing innovative solutions for the creation of a Transnational Agro-food Network. The aim is the creation of a platform that integrates ICT technologies and eco-sustainable agricultural practices in order to promote the exchange of positive experiences on an intra-regional scale. This platform could subsequently serve as a support for the implementation of new development strategies based on synergies between the tourism and agro-food production sectors. Part of the project concerned the construction of a “best practice guide” containing examples of existing companies in the project partner countries that stand out for their innovative production of agri-food products and for the promotion of SMEs on international markets. This work illustrates the four best practices selected within the context of the Basilicata region.