Mobility for the qualification of economic stakeholders and study visit to learning farms

8th - 12th September 2012 (Croatia and Italy)

From 8th to 12th September 2012 has took place the study visit for economic stakeholder from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.

During the tour, learning farms were also visited and partcipants exchanged information and experiences with agro-tourist entrepreneurs managing the learning farms.

The visit had its first step in Croatia on 8th and 9th September.

Participants took a tour of the historic town of Pasin and then visited a cave ("Feštinsko kraljevstvo") and an agro-tourism ("Ograde").

The, AZRRI held two presentations:

• "Rural Development Strategy of Istrian Region: the establishment of Local Action Groups" (Jasenka Kapuralin) 
• "Agro-tourism activity in Istrian Region" (Nataša Putinja)

The group went to visit a winery and tasting room (“Wines Bažon”), where, besides a wine tasting, the owner illustrated the history and development of the winery.

The last experience visited in Isrtia was the agrotourism "Sia" in the area of Vodnjan, near Pula. In “Sia” the owner explained their way of producing a cheese and showed the farm.

On 10th September the group moved to Italy and reached Bologna, where participated in a visit of the International Fair for Biologic products "SANA". After the visit to the Fair, participants were host of CEFAL-Vocational Training Center from Emilia Romagna, in its "Training Restaurant Le Torri". There, participants were welcomed by representatives from SCF, CEFAL, Assessors from the Department of Bologna and representatives from the local Association of Trading and Commerce enterprises.

The group was accomodated in Bagnacavallo (RA) at an ancient convent (S.Francesco), that today is an hotel managed by a Social Cooperative that employes disadvantaged people.

On 11th September, participants visited:

• Casa Artusi in Forlimpopoli, which is a Gastronomic Culture Museum, and it didactic kitchen and historical library about Eating and Food
• the CEFAL's site in Lugo (RA) - Vocational Training Center active in the catering sector also, where the group met also majors  from the nearby towns and Assessors the Department of Ravenna, principals from high schools in the catering sector, representatives from Farms associations and cooperative associations
• the didactic farm of the Agrotourism "La Rondine" in Bagnacavallo
• the Regional Wine Shop and Exhibition in Dozza, where they met the President and the exhibition responsible.

On 12th September, on its way back to Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina, the group visited another Learning Farm ("Aia Cavicchio") in Medicina, its centre for visitors of the radiotelescope, and the International Academy for Cheese Making Arts in Bagnolo di S.Pietro di Feletto. This latter joins cheese production, sale to public, catering (a bar and a restaurant have been opened within the cheese-shop), and theoric and practical training activities with master cheesemakers.