"<< Background >>A notable boost to a niche market farming trend, in opposition to agriculture industry based on intensive production of commodities, started in the years 50's in Switzerland from a movement of young farmers aiming at protecting soil depletion due to increasing use of chemicals. This movement was also strongly influenced by the Rudolf Steiner's concept of biodynamic agriculture widespread in the 20's. In the 60's and 70's the organic farming movement represented an international opposition in the main European countries to continuous increase of chemicals in agriculture industry and loss of biodiversity.In 1986 was founded in Italy Slow Food, at that time under the name Arci Gola, a no-profit association acting as an international cultural movement protecting biodiversity, seed savers and heritage food small producers, by giving them visibility and assistance (Slow Food Praesidium) and managing the so called Earth Mother networks and farmers' markets.The importance of organic farming was stated in Europe since 1991 with the first regulation (EC Reg. 2092/91) for plants and since 1999 (EC Reg.1804/99) for animals, subsequently substituted by EC Reg. 834/2007. The growing organic food demand all over the world has constantly enlarged the arable land dedicated to organic farming during the last 20 years also with appearance in the global market of new emerging producer countries, with main aim to provide big retailers with low cost global organic food, but also with consequent problems on loss of biodiversity, local features and taste and quality control.The European Union also stated to protect food brands, mostly pertaining to national heritage of Member States, but also including some traditional products from non-EU countries, based on EU Regulation 1151/2012, corresponding to Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), for food produced and processed entirely in a specified area, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), for food with at least origin or process based on a specified area, and Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG), pertaining to a traditional recipe.Another trendy niche market linked to biodiversity is rediscovering old varieties abandoned in the past because of their marginalization due to new and more productive varieties: old cereals, for traditional bread and noodles, vegetables, particularly legumes, and oil seeds, such as flax and sunflower, are again in fashion, processed and marketed because of their special and unique tastes, cultural values and healthy/nutraceutical characteristics.There are also to be mentioned some notable business-like trends in the very last years aiming at valorizing local tradition and food heritage as national, regional and local brands. Eataly, founded in 2004, is an example of branding valorization, based on communication and promotion of Italy, as country of good food and Mediterranean diet, and with a network of food shops and restaurants in big cities all over the world, by mostly restoring former abandoned and run-down stores, cinemas and factories with new look and effective but user friendly management.The niche market farming approach is clearly connected to the farm-to-fork strategy within the Green Deal goals.The European Green Deal provides an action plan for a sustainable economy and to restore biodiversity and to cut pollution. The Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of this objective aiming at a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. Within the framework of European Innovation Partnerships in Agriculture (EIP-Agri) the EU supports the development of concrete short chains and innovative added-value products and services and the establishment of collaboration between farmers, farm cooperatives, processors and consumers, as it is precisely in the background and objectives of the NMF project.<< Objectives >>Beside to traditional large-scale agri-food supply chains ""agricultural production – industrial processing – large-scale retail chains"", that pertain to the commodities market, the project contributes to provide innovative training addressed to farmers, agriculture advisory services and agricultural vocational school and university students, as main target groups, on small food supply chains, based on local biodiversity and quality heritage food, generated by local rural communities and suitable to develop new distribution chains for specific niche market farming.Large-scale retailers, starting after the Second World War but playing a more and more important role in the market since the years 70's, have developed a great work on food security, triggering significant agro-food economies and pushing agricultural production and mechanization, but also holding over time a full control of food chains in favor of processing industry and distribution dominating the primary sector. This imbalance has marginalized the small and family farms that hold a unique traditional food heritage, in terms of territories, biodiversity and knowledge and made difficult the processes of knowledge and awareness of consumers and citizens in regard to origin of food sources, information on producing territories and their authenticity, enhancement of regional and local cultures. Against these trends, many farms in Europe have developed different strategies: i) direct selling and short chains, ii) farmers markets, iii) associations of producers with their marketing strategies, iv) markets for local and quality food, v) local districts, vi) online sales, vii) green procurement (purchase of environmentally friendly products and services), viii) fair trade and solidarity-based production, etc.. There is therefore the preliminary need A) to know the cultural, food chain and market value corresponding to the local heritage food, B) to protect the biodiversity and food process know-how representing a specific area, C) to identify new models and approaches of distribution chains more consistent with small agricultural entrepreneurships, beside to large-scale distribution processes, enabling farmers' associations and cooperatives as well as rural communities and stakeholders to retrieve a full role for small farms, strengthening their local presence with agro-food related new distribution chains and niche-markets.All together these concepts and knowledge are fundamental to be collected, communicated and transferred to young generations and also implemented with smart technologies, from digital communication to precision farming, enabling farmers to provide quality and competitiveness level comparable to the market challenges with more sustainability tackling the climate change and towards a circular economy.The project also aims to contribute to the global Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations and its member states in 2015. Sustainable agriculture has direct connections to SDG 2 (no hunger) and SDG 15 (life on land). Indirect connection based on niche markets and sustainable farming can be made to SDG 8 (jobs), SDG 12 (sustainable production and consumption) and SDG 13 (limiting climate change and mitigation). A combined and e-learning course that covers the different themes, steps and competences needed for niche market farming can be a milestone for a modern and competitive approach to agriculture security and sustainability for family farms today and in the future.The Niche Market Farming project aims to provide farmers, students, trainers and stakeholders of the food sector with a user friendly Web Training Platform focused on old farming varieties and breeds as main biodiversities, geographical indication quality food and products alternative to commodities, particularly suitable for small scale agriculture in rural and less favoured areas.<< Implementation >>From the preliminary TNA in four countries and SoA based on national reports and transnational summary report the project will elaborate an interactive e-learning based course, also suitable for front lessons and combined training, that will enable farmers, students from agricultural vocational schools and universities and advisory services, as primary target groups, and representatives of local communities, policy and decision makers, at local, regional, national and European level, to learn a basic and detailed knowledge on niche market farming and quality food heritage products. A combined and e-learning course that covers the different themes, steps and competences needed for niche-market farming can represent a milestone for a modern and competitive approach for agriculture security and sustainability of local communities today and in the future.The project will be focused on 4 Project Results, corresponding to different themes and level of competence:PR1 - Biodiversity, old varieties, traditional food heritage and niche-market PR2 - Organic and biodynamic food and niche-market rural chainsPR3 - PDO, PGI, TSG and quality geographical indication food niche-marketPR4 - Combined and e-learning platform for niche-market agriculture and food.The project management will be based on a timeline to be respected, deliverables and milestones to be achieved, under SWOT analysis as a specific task of the Spanish partner ON Projects in collaboration with the Governing Board of all partners.The quality content will be assessed by the Polish partner Lacjum, responsible for the quality reports based on collection of peer reviews from all partners.The administrative control will be performed by the coordinator in collaboration with ON Projects controlling that the due documents will be provided correct and in time.The Web platform, that will be designed inhouse by the partner ON Projects by agreement with the coortdinator, will have the double function of public information and dissemination on the partnership and ongoing project activities and repository of the 3 Modules and related Case Studies and it will be used for the pilot testing in all countries during the last four months.The Multiplier Events, in Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain, will complete the project activities.<< Results >>Based on the 4 Project Results, constituted of 3 Modules, and the Web Platform where the online course will be available, the project will help the target groups be aware and competent on Niche Market Farming and quality food heritage products that can provide the small farms and rural communities with knowledge and know-how enabling them to develop agricultural biodiversity, local recipes, organic food and farmers' market networking for a more sustainable and resilient agriculture, particularly in rural and less favoured areas. This change based on farm-to-fork within the Green Deal can contribute to adapt and balance the opportunities for small farms and villages to combine tradition and innovation within a win-win perspective in the relationships between producers and customers.The retailer food sector will be also concerned with more attention to respect origin and peculiarities of food heritage combined with quality ensured by the producers and including fair trade and ethic rules respecting the dignity of agricultural workers, the conservation of agricultural biodiversity, the protection of environment and landscapes, the animal welfare and the rights for producers and consumers to fair commercial practices.The project aims therefore to open new opportunities for small farmers and rural communities within the mainstream of the farm-to-fork and Green Deal goals, provide students of the agricultural schools and university with new interests and training tools towards a more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable agriculture and food sector, and give advisory services, policy and decision makers an innovative approach contributing to tackle the abandonment and digital divide of rural areas and sustaining the economy of family farms and rural villages.This production system based on family farms, food heritage from rural communities and connected to the protection of biodiversity and rural landscapes, needs specific knowledge and competences from farming skills to quality food production, marketing, commercialisation and relationships with consumers and communication managers that will be developed within a self-learning web based course, suitable for blended methodology and oriented to formal and non formal acknowledgement of European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and European Credits for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) systems.All together the Niche Market Farming project wants to show pathways towards sustainable farming practices and innovative marketing models in order to secure and create jobs in agriculture, especially in rural and less favoured areas."