Chefs on forced rest due to the coronavirus emergency, meanwhile scientists are working towards higher quality products. The field of observation of those who work in the laboratory is the European one which in recent weeks is dealing with a contingent situation but with lasting effects, starting with agriculture.
3600 scientists – including 240 Italians – have signed an appeal to the European Union asking for a profound reform of the common agricultural policy. Legambiente, WWF, Federbio, AIAB, the Italian Association of Biodynamic Agriculture, Slow Food Italy, the Italian Association of Agroecology and many others joined the hashtag #Cambiamoagricoltura in Italy.
The appeal is a decalogue based on agroecology with a view to the Green new deal launched by Ursula von der Leyen. For scientists, the model of intensive agriculture contained in the CAP harms biodiversity, water and air quality, soil fertility. Ultimately it exacerbates the climate crisis. A political direction opposed to economic and environmental sustainability that fascinates everyone. We are in a transitional phase and no country can feel immune from certain dangers. Even more if we share the assumption that intensive crops supported by plant protection products have led to the current imbalances and many poisons in the food chain.
The document indicates urgent actions for the 2021-2027 plan in order to have greater security throughout the Union. “National agriculture ministers and many MEPs continue to ignore the science and are actively undermining the environmental ambition of the future CAP. Instead, we should help farmers to make a transition towards models inspired by agroecology, together with the increase of natural elements within the agricultural landscape” reads the appeal.
As for Italy, which before the coronavirus emergency had begun the discussion on its agricultural and food policy, the Associations that have joined the scientists, are demanding a strategic plan with "at the center the challenges of environmental sustainability of agriculture, because only in this way, economic and social challenges can also be overcome in the long run”. Some choices in favor of the use of polluting fuels, derogations on chemical products, are not liked.
The government must interrupt economic support for destructive productions, which then, by a bizarre paradox, enjoy less and less of the preference of Italian chefs and gourmets. Excellent judges of temperate agri-food chains, largely heirs of ancient traditions and practices, friends of many Associations that signed the appeal, they can be the best proponents of agricultural reform. Even long before 2020.
