The Metropolitan City of Bologna, with SinCE-AFC project, took part in an important event, both nationally and internationally relevant: SANA, the international organic and natural products Exhibition that for thirty years has been looking for new and advanced meeting points between business and sustainability, thanks to the many events in its programme. Once again, this year has represented a positive (with over 10,000 attendees) experience of presentation the main new products on the market, developing new partnerships, sharing and in-depth analysis, despite the scenarios imposed by the pandemic that have imposed new formats and innovative procedures.
The Metropolitan City of Bologna has actively participated in the Rivoluzione Bio event 2020 (www.rivoluzionebio.it), the main event of SANA RESTART: the general states of the sector, engaged between present challenges and future opportunities in light of the commitments of the European Green Deal.
The Bio Revolution 2020 event opened with the contribution of Janusz Wojciechowski, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, and the intervention of Teresa Bellanova, Italian Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies; it ended with the considerations of Manlio Di Stefano, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
It was an entire day, on 9 October 2020, animated by the debate of strategic thematic tables for the sector that saw the interaction of policy makers, experts and industry players; a great opportunity to participate in the multidisciplinary debate and in the research, updating and innovation work already started with the 2019 edition and the drafting of the Bio 2030 Manifesto.
Within Table 1 “Sustainability, Climate Change, Biodiversity” Mr. Marino Cavallo – Head of Research, Innovation and Management of European Projects of the Metropolitan City of Bologna – gave the speech and presentation “Circular economy in the agri-food sector. An experience of European interregional cooperation”. The topics that the expert speakers addressed at the table were: Environmental sustainability and animal welfare, Social sustainability: the role of the person, work and the right price, The biological model for the protection of biodiversity.
In particular, Mr Marino Cavallo highlighted how the "Farm to fork" strategy, at the heart of the European Green Deal "For a cleaner and more competitive Europe" aiming at a new and better balance between nature, food systems and biodiversity, if properly implemented, could bring great advantages both for Europe and for all its international trade partners. For these purposes the Metropolitan City of Bologna is concretely committed to achieving these objectives through plans, programs and projects that involve the territory and its relevant actors in the affirmation of sustainable and circular economic models.
Among these, the SinCE-AFC project of the Interreg Europe program aims to enhance the skills and entrepreneurship of SMEs operating with a circular economic approach in the agri-food chain. A food policy that involves the entire food supply chain, from production to distribution to consumption, with the aim of making European food systems more sustainable, could improve competition between companies and open markets towards increasingly sustainable approaches. In conclusion, improving policies and facilitating the adoption of measures to support and
strengthen SMEs in this sector, by strengthening cooperation between local authorities and economic operators, helps the process of adaptation to the circular economy.
The members of the Local Stakeholder Group of the project were invited to the event and it was an opportunity to meet them and to make new contacts with representatives of the sector interested in the project activities. The point was then made on the project, with updates and discussion on activities in progress and to be developed with the contribution and participation of stakeholders.
