TECHNICALMEETINGONPILOTPROJECTSIMPLEMENTATION

ProjectsWorkProgrammePhase4.2
Cagliari(Sardinia),1112October 2010

Th R
The
Revival
i l off Pi
Pico Cheese
Ch

AZORES
Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry

THEPILOTPROJECT
The Revival of Pico
TheRevivalof
PicoCheese
Cheese
Thegeographicalandeconomicenvironment
Pico Island is the second largest island in the Azores Islands. It owes its
name to a majestic volcanic mountain. Pico Mountain is the highest
mountain of Portugal and the third highest mountain that emerges
from the Atlantic, reaching 2351 meters above sea level. With only
about 15,000 inhabitants, the island of Pico has a poorly diversified
economy dominated by agriculture (vine cultivation and livestock) and
fishing.
g More recentlyy tourism has been experiencing
p
g significant
g
development on the island. In 2004 UNESCO listed the "Cultural
Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard" as world heritage.
The Pico
Pico Cheese
Cheese is produced since the XVIII century only in Pico
island. The manner of preparation of Pico Cheese has been handed
down through the generations to the present day. Even today
traditional cheese making techniques have been kept alive,
modernized solely from the hygiene and health viewpoints. It has PDO
certification
ifi i since
i
1996 that
h is
i managed
d by
b the
h Pico
i Cheese
Ch
Producers
d
Association (currently with only 3 producers associated).

THEPILOTPROJECT
Background
Over the last years the Pico Cheese experienced market problems,
mainly due to the local competition of similar industrial cheeses with
lower prices and difficulties to sell outside the island due to transport
and marketing problems. As a result, some of the small artisanal
factories lowered or even stopped the production of certified cheeses.

Project SIQUAL - Signature of the protocol

between RSAF and the Pico Cheese
Producers Association

In 2006 the regional and local authorities and the main producers,
concerned with the future of the Pico Cheese, decided to start a
process for the revival of the PDO cheese production. After a period in
which the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry (RSAF) has
provided active technical support to the farmers in order to improve
production quality (Project SIQUAL), the 3 producers decided to
invest in the modernization of their old facilities. The implementation
of the investments will be financially supported by the RDP 2007
2013 through targeted support for the
2013
the" Regional Investment in
Production of Quality . The 3 projects involve an investment of 1,5
million and public support of 75% of eligible expenses. They will be
concluded during 2010/2011. The total production is expected to
duplicate
p
until 2012/2013.
/

THEPILOTPROJECT
The starting point
Thestartingpoint
The investment decisions took in 2007/2008 were
supported on the general growing demand for
artisanal and certified agricultural productions and
the expectations of growth in local demand namely
due to tourism development.
However both the producers and the public
authorities were clearly aware that the material
investments are essential but not sufficient to
ensure the sustainable revival of Pico Cheese.
Innovation in the technological and in the
promotion and marketing fields were necessary.
necessary
Pico Cheese

THEPILOTPROJECT
The pilot project building
Thepilotprojectbuilding

PDO Pico Cheese

Certification seal for

As a result of the strongg cooperation

p
between the
producers and the technical staff of RSAF during the
period 20072010, both decided to build a partnership in
order to design a promotion and marketing strategic
plan for Pico Cheese at local/regional level.
The plan will be designed by both partners with the
technical advise of specialists
p
and the cooperation
p
of
other public and private entities linked to the Picos
agricultural production, the food and wine local industry,
the tourism sector, the municipalities, etc.
Simultaneously production will be monitored by the
Regional Institute for Technologic Innovation in order
to improve the manufacturing technologies while
keeping the quality and the typical characteristics of the
cheese.

THEPILOTPROJECT
The main objectives of the pilot project
Themainobjectivesofthepilotproject

Dairy factory of Pico Cheese

C
Contribute
t ib t to
t the
th development
d l
t and
d diversification
di
ifi ti
off
certified and typical regional agricultural productions at
local and regional levels.
Ensure the preservation and the sustainable revival of
Pico Cheese
Guarantee an adequate return for the public and
private investments implemented and ongoing.
Increase the added value of Pico Cheese production.
Create a synergy between the complementary
economic, cultural, and patrimonial activities in the
island of Pico.

THEPILOTPROJECT
The key areas of the strategic plan
Thekeyareasofthestrategicplan

PDO Pico Cheese

product
d
quality
l
product labeling
dairies/farms opening to visitors
Link between Pico cheese/Pico wine/ Pico
maize
i typical
t i l bread
b d
communication plan
distribution
di ib i networkk
financing resources

STATEOFARTOFTHEPILOT
PROJECT
The preparatory phase
Thepreparatoryphase
The preparatory phase of the pilot project
started in February/March 2010. In that period
3 meetings
g were held between the Regional
g
Director of Agricultural Development, the Pico
Cheese Producers Association and individual
producers
d
to evaluate
l
the
h ongoing
i partnership
hi
and investments and discuss the next actions
to take.
take
Festival of the Cheese in Pico island

STATEOFARTOFTHEPILOT
PROJECT
The technical meetings
Thetechnicalmeetings

Azores certified agricultural products

In May 2010 the 3 producers and the technical staff of

RSAF (including the technical coordinator of AGRISLES)
held a meeting to address the following points:
the follow up of the ongoing investments.
the follow up of the quality control procedures.
a broad change of ideas about the design of a
promotion and marketing strategic plan for Pico
Cheese
The discussion continued in a second meeting held in
late September, for further reflection about the strategy
to follow and a brief presentation of AGRISLES project.
The
Th nextt meeting
ti will
ill take
t k place
l
i late
in
l t October/early
O t b / l
November. Until there external expertise will be chosen.

STATEOFARTOFTHEPILOT
PROJECT
The larger project
Thelargerproject

New investments in the Pico Cheese

factories

The AGRISLES pilot project is part of a larger project for the revival of
Pico
Pico Cheese
Cheese that includes:
Quality control of milk and cheese production (Project SIQUAL,
implemented and financed by RSAF).
Investments for the modernization of industrial facilities (Private
(
applications under Rural DP 20072013 Axis 1).
Improvement of Production Technologies (Project SEPROQUAL,
implemented by the Regional Institute for Technologic Innovation
and financed by Regional DP 20072013 and RSAF).
Design of a promotion and marketing strategic plan for Pico Cheese
(Project AGRISLES, implemented by a partnership between RSAF, the
Pico
Pico Cheese Producers Association
Association and other public and private
entities and cofinanced by MED program).
Small investments related to the Implementation of the promotion
aand
d marketing
a et g st
strategic
ateg c p
plan
a ((Future
utu e p
private
ate app
applications
cat o s u
under
de Rural
ua
DP 20072013 LEADER Axis).

INNOVATION
The pilot projet innovation
Thepilotprojetinnovation
The main innovation of the pilot project at local level
concerns the creation of a privatepublic partnership to
define and implement a concrete strategic plan that:
both answers to the particular interest of specific
producers/investors and the general interest of the
island;
aims to create a synergy between the complementary
economic cultural, and patrimonial activities in the
island of Pico;
creates useful tools and organizational procedures
th t can be
that
b developed
d l
d in
i the
th future
f t
and
d easily
il replied
li d
to other products/sectors
Tasting the cheese

REINFORCEMENTOFCO
OPERATION
The public and private stakeholders
Thepublicandprivatestakeholders

Pico Cheese

The project will create a dynamic and

inclusive partnership that includes:
Currently, the Pico Cheese Producers
Association,
the
h producers
d
and
d RSAF.
In the near future the partnership will
include the local municipalities,
municipalities the local
private and public entities working in the
tourism sector, the farmers local
association, the wine producers local
organization and the Local action Group
acting in Pico Island.
l d

THEROLEOFYOURREGION
The RSAF is the most important public partner
p j
of the project.
The importance of this pilot project for the
Region as a whole relies mainly on the
possibility to apply this work method, if
successful, to other products/sectors , in
particular to artisanal and typical productions
that should be preserved and developed.
developed
Milking the cows

LINKSWITHAGRISLES
The pilot project fits perfectly in the
strategic domain
domain INNOVATION
PROCESS
RELATED
TO
THE
PROMOTION AND MARKETING OF
PRODUCTS defined in the AGRISLES
method.

Preparation of Pico Cheese

TIMING
Thepilotprojectisexpectedtoprovideresultsby
June/July 2011 The key steps to follow are:
June/July2011.Thekeystepstofolloware:
Theformaladoptionofthestrategicplan(expected
by February 2011).
byFebruary2011).
Thecreationofacooperationnetbetweenallthe
stakeholders(expectedtostartinlate2010).
Theimplementationofsmallinvestmentsrelatedto
thestrategicplan(expectedtostartinMarch2011).
Thepromotionofthepilotprojetinthe2011Feira
Th
i
f h il
j i h 2011 F i
AgrcoladosAores(expectedbyApril2011)and
otherregionalevents.
g
Thepreparationofthefirstevaluatingreportofthe
project(June/July2011).
Pico
Pico Cheese
Cheese storage

CONCLUSIONS

PDO Pico Cheese

RSAF has good expectations with regard to the

capacity of this pilotproject to provide non
technological innovation to the regional
agicultural
i lt l sector.
t
AGRISLES method can allways be improved. The
adoption
p
of new Indicators (related to material
private investments necessary to the
implementation of the projects and qualitative
indicators,, linked to the results of satisfaction
surveys to the target groups and the regional
economic actors involved in the projects) could
be adequate.
q
The idea of a transnational AGRISLES network
following the project seems very interesting and
deserves a good reflection work between the
partners.