1. A Case Study “Acolhida na Colônia”
Challenges for the New Rurality in a Changing World
7th International Conference on Localized Agri-food Systems
Stockholm of May 2016
Agritourism and Orientation to Short Commercialization Chains of Organic Food:
A Case Study “Acolhida na Colônia”  
Family Farmers in Santa Catarina, Brazil
Andrea Fantini1, Oscar José Rover2 , Thaise Costa Guzzatti2
1: University of Teramo, Italy
2: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil
Mettere nomi autori

4. Introduction
"Acolhida na Colônia" (AC) is an association of 120 farming families.
AC emerged in June 1999 to enhance the lifestyle in the countryside through ecological agritourism.
This research was conducted to analyze empirically the implications related to AC farmers’ efforts in marketing their organic products within Short Commercialization Chains (SCC).
"Acolhida na Colônia" (AC) is an association which currently involves approximately 120 farming families. It emerged in June 1999, in order to enhance the lifestyle in the countryside through ecological agritourism.
This marketing research was conducted to analyze empirically the implications related to AC farmers’ efforts in marketing their organic products within SCC.

5. Research Questions
Focus on the issues related to the supply of organic products
What difficulties do Family Farmers (FF) face in selling their products?
How many profiles (clusters or segments) of farmers can be identified with regard to their market orientation?
Do FF have different motivations and perceptions depending on the segment they belong to?
This research focused on the issues related to the supply of organic products.
The aim was to identifying a number of clusters (or segments) of farmers who differ with regard to their market orientation and describing the different profiles.
The aim was to identify the difficulties faced by FF in selling their products in order to analyze their weak points.
The aim was to analyze how FF
Marketing for FF, SCC and agritourism are configured as synergetic tools for sustainable rural development
The aim is to analyze the characteristics and weaknesses of the process in order to create new relationships between producers and consumers, based on goal sharing

6. Literature Review - 1
The three concepts (marketing for FF, SCC and agritourism) are strongly connected by a fundamental aspect: the dynamics of relationships between organic producers and consumers. (IFOAM, 2006 ”Principles of Organic Agriculture, available at
Market orientation is a fundamental concept that represents the recent evolution of marketing (KOTLER, P.; ARMSTRONG, G., p. 13, 2005) and needs to be encompassed in culture and economic management of FF.

7. Literature Review - 2
Short chain is a phenomenon that has had a major boost in recent years (AGUGLIA, 2009; BRUNORI, BARTOLINI, 2013; LOMBARDI et al., 2011);
Agritourism comprises a set of products and services offered by family farmers who are willing to share their habits, customs and way of life with visitors (TORESAN, MATTEI and GUZZATTI, 2002).
Short chain, being direct sales on the farm, in fairs and local markets, is a phenomenon that has had a major boost in recent years

8. Methods and Data Analysis
Quali-quantitative case study
Data Collection
Face-to-face structured questionnaire
Sample size: 120 – the whole universe of families members of AC
Data Analysis
Descriptive and multivariate
Principal Components An.
Cluster An.
Both quantitative and qualitative variables
The data was collected through a structured questionnaire that was administered to 120 families members of AC.
The data analysis was carried out using descriptive and multivariate analysis methods such as PCA and CA.
Multivariate analysis in this case study used both quantitative variables (e.g. age of the farmer, surface of the property) and qualitative (e.g. motivations for making direct sales, perception of the difficulties encountered in selling).

9. Principal Component Analysis results
Findings - 1
Principal Component Analysis results

10. Findings - 2

11. Findings - 3

12. Findings - 4

13. Findings - 5

14. Findings - 7
Cluster 1 (68%) - traditional agritourisms oriented towards direct sales at the farm:
their main motivations for the practice of direct sale are economics, return on image and logistical convenience
they have been in AC for less years than the average of the sample
higher average age of the farmer and lower level of education
less surface (4.8 ha)
lower level of certification
sell more through intermediaries
participate in less associations
perceive commercial difficulties more intensely
they do not sell at trade fairs and little in institutional markets;

15. Findings - 8
Cluster 2 (14%) - agritourisms oriented towards institutional markets RIO DO SUL:
their income from agritourism activities is lower than average
they have been in AC for longer than the average of the sample
run by young farmers and lower level of education
bigger dimensions (10.2 ha)
high level of certification
do not use intermediaries
highly cooperative attitude
perceive fewer commercial difficulties (problems such as late payments and inadequate prices)
not present at trade fairs

16. Findings - 9
Cluster 3 (18%) - agritourisms oriented towards tourists-consumers TUBARAO:
direct sale at trade fairs but also via institutional markets and shops
their main motivations for direct sale are: better prices, reduced risk (diversification of sales channels)
a more significant presence of women involved in agritourism management (63%)
their income from agritourism activities has increased the most after joining AC
have been in AC for a long time with a high level of certification
higher average age and level of education of the farmers
strongly oriented towards consumers (improving relations, retention, dissemination of good practices)
practice direct selling at trade fairs but also sell via institutional markets and shops
they practice direct sales to get better prices and reduce risk by diversifying sales channels
- their income from the agritourism has increased more than the average after they have joined AC

17. Conclusions
Identifying the 3 different clusters of farmers is key to defining the necessary strategies to improve the relationship between organic FF and the market
This process allows to recognise the strenghts and weaknesses of each segment:
farms belonging to segment 1 need more attention/extension to improve their orientation to SCC
segments 2 and 3 are more aligned to a SCC perspective and make better use of its advantages
Identifying the three clusters or segments of farmers who differ with regard to their market orientation is the first step to define the necessary strategies to improve the relationship between organic FF and the market. This process makes AC stronger as it allows to recognise the strenghts and weaknesses of each segment
Segment 1: need more attention in terms of technical assistance, to improve their commercialization activities (e.g. towards ethical and solidarity-purchasing-groups).
Segments 2 and 3, by marketing predominantly directly to institutional programs and consumers, show to be more aligned to a SCC perspective and make better use of the advantages of these commercial channels, one of which is the sale of its diverse production.

18. Thank you for your attention.
Tack!
Andrea Fantini
Università degli Studi di Teramo