A group of nonprofits committed to sustainable development publishes on our website an open letter, addressed to Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry Francesco Lollobrigida (see Attachment). Brief summary to follow.
Italian agriculture, the needs of the production fabric
Italian agriculture features medium, small and micro family-scale enterprises. The custodians of our land and its immense agribusiness and forestry heritage need professional training so that qualitative and quantitative productivity can be improved with the least possible expenditure of resources.
The needs of this productive fabric tend to be opposed to the interests of agrochemical giants and middlemen. Where, for example, reproducing and using one’s own seeds reduces the related costs by at least four times. And grains supplied to consortia today for four dinars cost three times as much after a few months to farmers who use them as feed.
Organic supply chain, added value for the country-system
The organic supply chain is the key resource for realizing added and shared value in the system-country. The only sustainable development standard in agriculture to be regulated through internationally binding rules. Therefore, the incentives provided in the new National Strategic Plan for it to reach 25 percent of the utilized agricultural area (UAA) in Italy are appreciated.
Pesticide reduction is equally essential to preserving productivity in agriculture, as well as public health and ecosystems. It is therefore requested that the Italian government, like its citizens already do, support the proposed EU regulation. Enhancing the agronomic practices and inputs allowed in organic farming to also increase crop profitability, where Italy already excels in Europe. (1)
Transparency and equity in the value chain
Concrete implementation of the Trade Practices Directive is essential to protect Italian farmers and ranchers. (2) To this end, it is considered necessary to strengthen the control system and take action on promotional sales, the costs of which are still unfairly absorbed by the production chain. (3)
Transparency and fairness in value chain redistribution should also be ensured through innovative tools, such as telematic commodity exchanges secured through blockchain. (4) So that commodity prices never fall below production costs and the CUNs (Single National Commissions) reflect actual market dynamics in a timely manner. (5)
Short supply chain vs. ‘artificial food’
The short supply chain is rooted in a tradition that is in danger of being lost, partly because of speculation and blackmail imposed on farmers. (6) Therefore, there is a need to revive and support peasant agriculture with a special law that has been waiting for approval for 13 years. (7)
The ‘artificial food’ opposed today is first and foremost the junk food that still crowds supermarket shelves and public canteens. But it is also that derived from old and new GMOs, which the European Union now aspires to deregulate. (8) And food produced from agricultural raw materials sprayed with cocktails of glyphosate and other toxic chemicals is certainly not ‘natural‘.
Food sovereignty and socio-environmental sustainability
Food sovereignty must come anchored not only in ‘social conditionality’ but also in the protection of ecosystems and public health. Already in the past, agricultural incentives have been targeted by organized crime, and it is therefore necessary to subject them to strict conditions and controls.
The indiscriminate use of pesticides is causing chronic poisoning of soils and waters(ISPRA, 2020), as well as resident populations.
The National Pesticide Action Plan(NAP) has been expired for years, and the dastardly assumptions, already mentioned, of aerial spraying of toxic chemicals cannot be admitted. Nor can we allow a distance of 3 meters from hospitals and rivers, children and parks, inhabitants and monuments.
Other thoughts and instances are available in the open letter to the Minister of Agriculture attached here, and in the previous article in footnote 9.
Dario Dongo
Cover image from the Via Amerina biodistrict
Attached Open letter from the associations to the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry
Notes
(1) Dario Dongo, Marta Strinati. Sustainable pesticide use, civil society demands for reform. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 9.4.22
(2) Dario Dongo. Unfair trade practices in the agribusiness supply chain, Leg. 198/2021. THE ABC’S. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 26.2.22
(3) Dario Dongo. Promotional sales, poor protection of producers and consumers. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 24.5.22
(4) Dario Dongo. A telematic commodity exchange to promote transparency and fairness in the food supply chain. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 8.3.21
(5) Dario Dongo. CUN PDO pigs and hams. Market disruption? GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 20.6.22
(6) Dario Dongo. Malfeasance against farmers and tax evasion, Campagna Amica continues. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 10.9.21
(7) Dario Dongo, Giulia Caddeo. People’s campaign for peasant agriculture, waiting for the law. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 6.9.19
(8) New GMOs, last days to sign European petition against deregulation. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 17.11.22
(9) Dario Dongo. Food sovereignty in Italy, ABC. Reflections and proposals to the new minister. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 28.10.22
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
