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Objectives
The general objectives of the presidia are numerous, complex and multifaceted, but can be boiled down to four areas. The economic aspect is obviously vital (presidium products were disappearing because they were no longer profitable and in order to continue their activity, producers have to have economic assurance about the future), but another three factors are also crucial: environmental, social and cultural aspects.
Environmental objectives (defending biodiversity, improving the sustainability of products) are essential for all presidia. Every set of production rules requires producers to eliminate or reduce chemical treatments, guarantee animal wellbeing (using extensive farming systems, adequate space, no forced feeding), defend, where possible, local breeds and native vegetable varieties, use ecological packaging, and to favor the use of renewable energy.
Economic objectives (increasing producer incomes, developing local driven activities, increasing employment) are the only ones that can be measured using quantitative indicators: variations in price, quantities produced, numbers employed. The other aspects require a different approach and are more difficult to classify and compare using standard parameters, but they are perhaps the most interesting and important dimension of presidium activity.
Social objectives (improve the social position of producers, strengthen their organizational capacity) can be measured by seeing whether the presidium has created an association or other organized body, if producers have improved their ability to form relationships with public and private institutions, if they are more widely known and if their voice has greater weight, thanks to media attention.
Cultural objectives (strengthening producers' cultural identity and promoting production areas) are linked to the ability of the presidium to stimulate publications about the local area, the creation of tourist routes and other cultural initiatives, the restoration of old buildings, etc.
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