The valorisation of wheat production through locally-based bread chains: Experiences from Tuscany

In the new global economy, intensive production models based on high-yield varieties of wheat have become a central issue for the fight against hunger, undernourishment, and poverty. Nonetheless, this intensive model and the related globalized processing and marketing system poses a challenge to the conservation of biodiversity and to environmental sustainability. In addition, volatility on world cereal markets is threatening farmers' income, triggering diversification patterns. One of this pattern is the creation of alternative food chains intended as supply chains that are territorially embedded and able to reconnect producers with consumers. In this context, this paper aims to explore the diversity of alternative bread chains and valorisation practices, in order to identify organizational models, assess their economic performance in terms of creating added value distributing it along the stages of the chain and to understand the role played by ancient wheat varieties in differentiating the product. In order to do this, the paper develops a comparative case study analysis of several locally-based alternative bread supply chains in Tuscany (Italy). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key actors, selected considering all the steps in the supply chain: from growing the wheat and milling the grain through to the end product. From these interviews differences emerged between locally-based bread supply chains in terms of the valorisation system followed and the institutional arrangements. While the locally-based chains featuring modern wheat varieties have more conventional characteristics and pursue differentiation strategies based on certification, chains based on ancient wheat follow a more informal route, and product quality is mainly guaranteed by the reputation of the network. Furthermore, in the bread supply chains featuring ancient varieties, the methods for reducing transaction costs are linked to a bottom-up collective action, embeddedness strategies among stakeholders (that include also consumers), and are built on a relational approach based on trust, knowledge exchange and social networks. Results provide an assessment of the performances of different locally-based bread supply chains, identify critical aspects and suggest some policy implications for all types of chains.