Partner L3

SAFT - SOCIETA AGRICOLA FRANCO TURCO (IT)

Associate Beneficiary

LANDOWNER

THE ENTERPRISE

The farm is managed by women enterprisers. It is about 250 ha large and has diversified production lines, such animal farming, forage, cereals, olive-groves and forestry; since 2014 saffron cultivation has been added as well. Farmers since generations, Turco began in 2006 to recover and cultivate ancient and neglected wheat varieties, hence becoming “repository of ancient wheats”. The main varieties are: Tumminia sg3, Preziusa and Trentino. Moreover, the involvement of Turco in biodiversity recovering and conservation also concerns genuine Sicilian hen race and the Sicilian sheepdog (“cane di mànnera”), both ancient autochtonous Sicilian races. The cattle farming is entirely managed in the wild, with grazing rotation on sown fields and perennial pastures, in full respect of animals good-health. From 1996 to 1998 Turco set aside to forestry the marginal lands of their farm, in order to contribute to soil protection and improve the enterprise income. At present the farm area includes about 50 ha of 18-20-years-old mixedbroadleaves forests. The newly-established saffron production was triggered by the wish to recover an old Sicilian tradition and valorise the territory with a high income cultivation

THE SAFT TEAM and role in the project

SILVIA TURCO – Coordinator of the SAFT UNIT

GEA TURCO – Technical and managment assistance

DELIZIA AMARADIO Technical and managment assistance

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