1 The Role of traditional products in the Valorisation of Marginal Rural Areas: the case of Iris Pallida Giovanni Belletti, Enrica Fani, Andrea Marescotti, Silvia Scaramuzzi Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Università di Firenze Keywords : Rural development, globalization, supply chain analysis, iris pallida Abstract Nowadays the problem of valorization of marginal rural areas in Europe is significant. In Italy, despite the wide globalization that has developed in the agro-food system, some traditional agricultural crops with high added value may play an important role for the environmental preservation and social and economic development of some marginal rural areas. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the problems and potential of developing traditional crops in marginal rural areas, through their valorization as typical products. The paper presents a case study analysis on the Iris Pallida supply chain. Iris Pallida is a minor crop, whose rhizome is used by the international fragrances industry. The cultivation is limited to only two marginal subregions in Tuscany (a remote part of Chianti and Pratomagno) and it is usually complementary to the olive oil and wine production. The field work carried out at local, national and international level has allowed to describe in detail the local production system, the threats to its survival, and the opportunities of its valorization thanks to its connections to the global market and the high interest of the local stakeholders in supporting it for its high potential to revalorize and environmentally protect some rural areas that are now abandoned. An increasing development of the cultivation could answer also to an increasing request of the rhizome from French fragrances industry, due to its outstanding quality attributes. The paper addresses an important re-emerging issue: “glocality” as a local flexible response to the pressures and threats of the globalisation of the agro-industrial system. 1. Introduction Nowadays the problem of valorization of marginal rural areas in Europe is significant. In Italy, despite the wide globalization that has developed in the agro-food system, some traditional agricultural crops with high added value may play an important role for the environmental preservation and social and economic development of some marginal rural areas. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the problems and potential of developing traditional crops in marginal rural areas, through their valorization as typical products. The paper presents a case study analysis on the Iris Pallida supply chain. Iris Pallida is a minor crop, whose rhizome is used by the international fragrances industry. The cultivation is limited to only two subregions in Tuscany (a remote area of Chianti and Pratomagno region), in very remote areas and it is usually complementary to the olive oil and wine production. The research has been funded by the Tuscan regional administration within a funding call for Territorial projects, which had to be based on a network of local firms, other non-production local stakeholders and researchers.