A) Summary of the project
The project, led by the Associazione Vivaisti Italiani (Italian Nurserymen Association) as the coordinating body of the Pistoia Ornamental Nursery District, pursued the following main objectives:
1) Process innovation aimed at modernizing companies and production techniques, improving the qualitative and quantitative levels of production, and increasing management efficiency and profitability, particularly for smaller enterprises.
2) Improvement of marketing methods and product valorization, in order to strengthen market penetration in an increasingly globalized market and overcome competition from other Italian and European production centers.
3) Adoption of low environmental impact production techniques, particularly those developed within the AUTOFITOVIV project (previously funded under the Rural Development Programme and coordinated by the same lead association), with the goal of making the district’s nurseries increasingly “green.”
4) Involvement of all district components in the project, including primary producers (large, medium, and small enterprises), local public authorities, professional and trade organizations, related industries, research institutions, and all other stakeholders.
The supply chain involved all phases of the production process — from primary production to processing (including storage and packaging before sale) and commercialization (with specific focus on logistics).
A total of 126 entities participated. All direct and indirect participants signed a district agreement, which defined the relationships among members operating in the “district” area. The document identified, in addition to the lead partner, the objectives, actions, investments, timeline, expected results, and mutual obligations.
– Strengthening of participating nursery companies (both direct and indirect members) through optimization of production factors and process innovation.
– Qualitative and quantitative increase in production to support the positive phase of global demand growth for ornamental plants following the economic downturn.
– Enhancement of the nursery district as a whole, by creating a framework of coordination among leading companies — traditionally competitors — now capable of forming new production alliances and moving beyond a market model based almost exclusively on price competition and product diversification.
– Promotion of producer associations within broader policies and support tools for agricultural investment and modernization.
– Reduction of the environmental impact of production processes, making all companies involved more “virtuous” through the widespread adoption of good practices.
B) Project figures
Directly participating agricultural enterprises: 39
Indirectly participating agricultural enterprises: 43
Total entities involved: 126
Average annual quantity of ornamental plants (as per the supply chain agreement): 1,051,800
Average annual production value: €3,940,500
Activated measures: 4.1.3 – 4.1.5 – 4.2.1 (Rural Development Programme of Tuscany)
Total investments: €11,465,052.20
Public funding requested: €4,479,907.77
