Time is short and to have an effective agricultural policy starting next year, you need a lot of good will. The Italian stop and gos – all spoiled by politics, in truth – seem to fade in the face of the Ministry of Agriculture's commitment to give strength to a negotiating table to outline a less gray future. A key sector of our economy is in trouble and short of support. They, the farmers who have shown up again in the streets in these days of regional lockdowns, are asking for medium-long term indications. Like other production categories, they do not want to be excluded from the money of post-pandemic Europe and the new sustainable economy. They want to count, participate in the decisive political tables.
And here, then, is the novelty: "the participatory process with all the institutional, economic and social actors for the drafting of the National Strategic Plan of the post-2022 CAP will begin within this month of April". The tough #CambiamoAgricoltura Coalition received this message from Francesco Fortuna, Chief of Cabinet of Agriculture Minister Stefano Patuanelli.
The coalition is supported by over 70 acronyms of civil society, by environmental, organic and consumer associations and by the Cariplo Foundation. Agricultural policy has been dividing Parliament and the Union for two years on the best ways to cultivate and consume. The proposals both to the right and to the left, between sovereignists and democrats have marked significant differences within the individual groupings. At the base there is everywhere the fundamental consideration of not alienating either the consent of the farmers or their investments.
The Italy of agriculture that has passed from Northern League ministers to exponents of the left, now with the Cinquestelle, must send its package of proposals to Brussels by the end of the year.
Not deciding in the ministerial rooms, was the prod of #CambiamoAgriculture which finally seems to have obtained a first result with the announcement by the Ministry. A novelty after months of silence to establish the modalities of the post-2022 CAP National Strategic Plan, the organization announced.
The country is seriously late, bringing up the rear among the member states of the European Union, in drafting this programmatic document looking at the "treasure". In fact, the money available to Italy in the period 2021-2027 is over 36 million euros at current prices. The picture is completed by national co-financing for rural development with another tens of millions of euros. A good flow of money to spend on quality crops, fight against pesticides, agrobiology, employment, better relationship between countryside and consumption.
It does not escape that with the Draghi government similar contents must be part of the broad transecological path which also affects the production of clean energy from agricultural waste. And that a bottom-up participatory strategy will avoid excessive claims by local or specific sectors. Slow Food, Legambiente, WWF, Accademia Kronos and the others underline that participation in the negotiating table is substantial and not formal, avoiding separate or thematic discussion tables. Once the Ministry's silence has been overcome, it would be truly incredible if individual influence groups lacking the necessary sense of unity are contending for the options of the CAP. That virtue that still counts in politics and in good families.
