CERTRA

The production of cereals for breadmaking declined in the 1980s, because of Portugal’s entry into the European Community and the inability of local actors, their structures, and organizations to compete in the open market. This project aims to create the foundations for the return to local production of cereals for human consumption in Portugal, and to support an integrated process of developing value chains based on the use of traditional germplasm, establishing relationships between production, processing, transformation, and quality consumption. This project also intends to test ways of making family farming viable through the construction of a production differentiation strategy (organic production method, use of traditional varieties, terroir). These forms involve the use of new approaches to the market, aligning production with new trends, building short food supply chain, and approaching quality markets. One of the possibilities for adding value to traditional cereals is the integration of quality bread (traditional variety cereal, organic production method) in public procurement processes for schools and other institutions. This dynamic opens doors to the continuation of educational work with children, young people, and adults, around aspects of healthy eating, sustainability, agrobiodiversity, informed and responsible consumption.

Keywords: Tradicional cereals; Sustainable food

Principal Investigator: Vânia Sofia Santos Ribeiro

Research Team
Cidália Pereira, ciTechCare, ESSlei
Daniela Vaz, LSRE-LCM ESSlei

Duration: 60 months (2023-2028)