A decalogue for accelerating the agroecological transition

June 2022

Open letter from Aiab, AssoBio, Association for Biodynamic Agriculture and FederBio to the Minister of Agriculture to give concreteness to the new Italian law on organic farming

10 proposals to give concreteness to the principles and provisions contained in the law on organic farming, finally approved after a 15-year process, and "provide the country with a 'strategic reserve' to face crises: from climate to pandemic to war." These are the contents of the open letter recently sent by Aiab, AssoBio, the Association for Biodynamic Agriculture and FederBio to the Minister of Agriculture, with the aim of urging actions and initiatives that will "give legs to the objectives established by the new sector legislation."

"Every year," the letter reads, "30,000 farms close in Italy, confirming that in many cases conventional agriculture is not able to guarantee an adequate income to farmers: with organic farming, which takes care of the fertility of the land, enhances the quality of the products and the territory by relaunching local circuits of production and consumption, a part of these farmers could remain in the field, ensuring our country a strategic reserve of food. Exactly as with renewables," the text continues, "organic is the way to go to sustain international crises such as the one we are facing with the conflict in Ukraine, focusing on production systems that are more independent from external inputs and more resilient and at the same time able to decisively take the path of ecological transition."

Hence the call for acceleration along the path of its concrete implementation, arriving promptly at the definition of the National Organic Action Plan envisaged by both the law and the National Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Not least because, the petitioners warn, only in this way will it be possible to invest in the best way possible the nearly 3 billion euros that, also complicit with the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, will be allocated to the agricultural sector between now and the next 5 years. "It is essential," it says in this regard, "that these resources are spent well, in a planned and integrated manner, to ensure the growth of the sector.

Starting from all these considerations, the main national organic associations hope that the minister will ensure that concrete actions are taken to achieve the following 10 objectives:

Organic Made in Italy supply chains based on fair prices for farmers and consumers.
Environmental taxation and tax credits for certification costs to lower prices to consumers without additional costs to businesses.
Organic districts to foster local production and consumption systems and enhance rural areas starting with inland areas and protected natural areas.
Encouragement of farms that integrate agricultural, livestock and forestry activities, caPable of fostering biodiversity and closing the nutrient cycle
Research, innovation, training and advice to support farmers and territories in the transition to organic.
Development of collective catering through product organizations and appropriate information and advisory tools.
Communication and information campaigns to citizens to learn about the values of organic and encourage increased organic consumption
Digital innovation and single traceability platform in favor of consumer
Bureaucratic simplification. It is the non-polluting farmer who bears the cost of demonstration, both in terms of time and money.
Mandatory organic in protected areas and EFAs

"Organic," the letter concludes, "represents a strategic opportunity in the economic field and at the same time an effective approach in combating climate change and protecting the environment and biodiversity. True sustainability can only start with organic."
This and much more will be possible to talk about at Rivoluzione Bio, the States General of Organic scheduled at SANA on September 8 and 9.