From bench to field - The TRADITOM approach convinces farmers and brings traditional tomatoes two steps closer to our plates

As a result of a training course held for farmers in the Castellon region on September 15, 2017, the participants have signaled their interest to cultivate the new tomato varieties containing tomato germplasm produced in the frame of TRADITOM. The project partners CSIC and UPV will now work side by side with the group, providing support in selecting the varieties to be grown in 2018.

Apart from serving as a platform for the GOURMETOM set of TRADITOM varieties, this meeting included some training activities for farmers on in situ and ex situ germoplasm and sanitization of seeds.

Next to that, the TRADITOM associated partner El3ments signed a contract to provide traditional vegetables to a supermarket company. Over three years, the harvest of the farmers who participated in the TRADITOM training course will thus find its way to European grocery stores and in arm’s reach of the consumer.

Since commercialization is the best way to prevent the erosion of traditional fruit and vegetable varieties, this is a very promising achievement that fits very nicely within the overall aims of TRADITOM.