Description

Direct marketing of agricultural food products has gained importance over the last 20 years. The rising demand reflects the European trend to local quality products and regional specialities.

But at the same time, consumers put high requirements on products in terms of quality, packaging, presentation and marketing. Marketing is therefore a major issue for small producers.

Women farmers and their production of local specialities can be a “treasure” for European culinary culture and diversity. However, they often need good materials in order improve their marketing skills and to make use of this potential.

The main focus lies on a web based self-learning programme and toolbox for women farmers offering an approach to marketing in the holistic sense of the word, covering the following areas:

• product development

• business planning and financing

• quality management

• legal framework

• positioning of the products

• distribution

• market communication

How is the Studies Program planned?

The program is divided into nine Modules. Each Module represents the typical steps of a marketing program.

The user can chose in what order he will complete the Studies Program. Therefore, he can chose any Module to begin with to deepen and to expand knowledge and competence.

All Modules are structured alike and consist of

1. A Learning Unit: They present marketing know how, adjusted to the requirements of small farms and their products.

2. Case Studies: They will help to demonstrate examples how marketing can work in the agro-business, and should help to understand how marketing can be used efficiently.

3. A How to do it Unit: Implementing the new knowledge into the student's farm business. The How to do Units are a step by step-process and are accompanied by attached supporting “tools” and a check-list.