Last Thursday the wool mill was the final stop of a study visit to Alpago by the Master Strategies and Marketing for Agrifood Firms - ETWAM.
From the words of the accompanying Professor vladifinotto of management.cafoscari:
“The focal point of our visit was the filiere of the Alpago sheep, an indigenous breed. Here are some key takeaways:
1. **The Economy of Balance**: Zaccaria Tona, president of the local Cooperative #Fardjma, introduced us to this concept. He illustrated how farming produce economic value—the Alpago lamb is featured in prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants across Northeastern Italy—while simultaneously enhancing community stewardship and maintaining biodiversity and the natural landscape.
2. **Embracing Innovation in Tradition**: Despite their historical roots dating back to the Middle Ages, farming practices in Alpago are receptive to innovation. A project developed in collaboration with Enrico Sturaro (UNIPD) has enabled the monitoring of sheep through an app, Sheep App, a model that could potentially be replicated in other regions.
3. **Finding Environmental Balance**: Effective stewardship of the fragile mountain environment hinges on balancing operational scale with ecological preservation. Diversification emerged as a key strategy, as discussed by Franco Pianon and Illari Fullin, whose enterprise spans sheep and Yak farming, a rustic dining hut, a didactic farm, and an inclusive park.
4. **Creating Value Beyond Boundaries**: Economic and social sustainability for Alpago sheep and its communities relies on exploring cross-sector and cross-geographical opportunities. Our visit concluded in Follina at Lanificio Paoletti - MTF srl where we learned from Paolo Paoletti about how the wool from Alpago sheep is exclusively transformed into unique fabrics for renowned luxury brands. The vibrant colors and textures of the fabrics, juxtaposed with vintage machinery and modern tools, illustrated the balance between emerging consumer demands and traditional craftsmanship.”
It was a pleasure to host you!
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