<figure><img src="image_918.png" /></figure>

PRACTICE

<figure><img src="image_919.png" /></figure>

MOVEMENT

<figure><img src="image_920.png" /></figure>

LIVING LAB

<figure><img src="image_921.png" /></figure>

SCIENCE

<figure><img src="image_922.png" /></figure>

EDUCATION

<figure><img src="image_923.png" /></figure>

https://www.biologikesagores.gr
Ένωση Αγροτών Βιοκαλλιεργητών
Βόρειας Ελλάδας

INITIATIVE N°9 – ORGANIC FARMERS' ASSOCIATION

ORGANIC FARMERS'
ASSOCIATION OF
NORTHERN GREECE

The Organic Farmers' Association of Northern Greece was established in 2002. The association is mainly composed of 120 organic farmers located mainly in the area of Macedonia and Thrace and operates on several open organic farmer markets in urban and periurban areas of the city of Thessaloniki, which are self-organised, regulated and operated by the farmers participating to the association.

The main objectives of the initiative, besides the operation of organic markets, is the promotion of organic farming, the networking of organic farmers, the implementation of organic farming practices, the organisation of conferences, seminars and workshops, and the lobbying for the rights of organic farmers and their common interests at the decision making centres at the national level. The association also includes social solidarity aspects by supporting vulnerable local communities with fresh and seasonal food. The association receives no funding by public or private entities, besides the contribution of its members.

KEY FEATURES

* **Agroecological practices concerned:** conservation and use of traditional varieties, sustainable soil management (reduced tillage), organic pest control, and organic fertilisation (compost)

* **Founded in:** 2002

* **Organisation:** Organic Farmers Association of Northern Greece

* **Agricultural sectors:** multiple (arable, vegetables, livestock, beekeeping)

* **Initiative size:** regional

* **Number of stakeholders involved:** 120 farmers

The initiative makes no verbal use of the term agroecology. Nevertheless, it follows several agroecological principles as it promotes the implementation of agroecological practices and methods, i.e. conservation and use of agrobiodiversity, minimal soil disturbance, minimum pest control inputs, and production and use of compost made by plant residues. It generates short food chains by having established open air organic markets at several spots in the city of Thessaloniki, a main urban centre of northern Greece. These markets are self-organised by the farmers regarding their management and operation, which include self-inspections (i.e. weekly monitoring and control of pesticide residues in products sold) within the framework of organic market regulations (all farmers participating are certified organic). Farmers are also supportive of one another in many ways, starting from technical solutions in organic farming to solidarity in terms of financial and legal aspects. The Association has also been active in organising conferences on organic farming (in 2015 and 2016), promoting the horizontal transfer of knowledge among farmer seminars (in the 2nd conference, sessions on agroecology were also included), as well as engaging in international collaborations on projects concerning traditional seeds and food sovereignty (i.e. Capsella project<fnref n="118" />).

<footnote n="118">¹¹⁸ http://www.capsella.eu/</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_924.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 9:** Participation of the Organic Farmers' Association of Northern Greece in Agricultural fair.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/biofarmers/photos.</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_925.png" /></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The association is a successful example of a farmer association that operates in a communal and self-sustained manner, actually promoting agroecology, through the organic farming framework, not only regarding farming practices but also in terms of commercialisation and community support. Solidarity among farmers and collective dedication to the goals and rights of the farmers is a major advantage of the initiative supporting its long-term successful operation.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_926.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** Active association between producers in the northern region of Greece. The organisation supports open air organic farmers' markets in urban areas.

<figure><img src="image_927.png" /></figure>

**GOVERNANCE:** Participation in agreements and development of regulation regarding the establishment and functioning of organic farming markets.

<figure><img src="image_928.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** Creation of local supply channels, connecting producers and consumers, without the intervention of middlemen.

<figure><img src="image_929.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:**

Conservation and use of local/traditional varieties by the farmers of the association.

<figure><img src="image_930.png" /></figure>

**ENERGY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT:** Reduction and revaluation of food waste by compost making, while offering food surpluses to people in need.

<figure><img src="image_931.png" /></figure>

**EDUCATION:** Organisation and participation of conferences on organic farming, food sovereignty, peer to peer transfer of knowledge, etc.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_932.png" /></figure>

**EDUCATION:** Lack of institutional support (Ministry of Agriculture/ University) in training regarding farming practices.

<figure><img src="image_933.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** Difficulties in the operation of organic farmers' markets.

<figure><img src="image_934.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:** European and national legislation remains no supportive to the expansion of traditional varieties and breeds.
<figure><img src="image_935.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_936.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_937.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_938.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_939.png" /></figure>

INITIATIVE N°10 – ELGO – DIMITRA

ΕΛΓΟ-ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ
ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΚΟΣ
ΟΡΓΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ - ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ

https://www.elgo.gr/
http://www.nagref-cha.gr/index.php/en.html
Ελληνικός Γεωργικός Οργανισμός (ΕΛΓΟ)
ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ

# ELGO – DIMITRA INSTITUTE OF OLIVE TREE, SUBTROPICAL PLANTS & VITICULTURE

The Institute of olive tree subtropical plants and viticulture belongs to the Department of Agricultural Research of the Hellenic Agricultural Organisation (ELGO) "DIMITRA". The institute commenced its activities in 1962. The headquarters are in Chania and includes several departments:

- Department of viticulture, vegetable crops, floriculture and plant protection (Heraklion, Crete);

- Department of olive and horticultural crops (Kalamata, Peloponnese);

- Viticulture Department (Athens);

- Department of olive tree (Corfu), and

- Olive oil laboratory (Lesvos).

## KEY FEATURES

- Main goal: research

- Main topics: olive, mediterranean crops, viticulture

- Type of actors involved: scientists farmers

- Funded by: Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food

The institute is a legal entity governed by private law and is funded by the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food. It includes 20 researchers, mainly agronomists. The institute has taken continuous improvements and extension in structure and staffing, considered to be amongst the most recognised agronomic research institutes in the country (reward of Athens Academy, 2001). It participates in several international research projects and is networked with corresponding research foundations and academic institutes abroad, especially from the Mediterranean area. Besides research, it provides advisory services (technical support to farmers, cooperatives, municipalities) and organises various educational activities (seminars, symposia, conferences, etc.).

The topics of the research conducted are various, focusing on Mediterranean and subtropical tree crops, viticulture and vegetables, and the word agroecology is not explicitly used in the titles of the institute's laboratories and team. Nevertheless, the institute was one of the first to conduct and promote research on agroecology and sustainable food systems as it included a unit focusing on ecological production, food and sustainable rural development, consisting of a team of agronomists, agroecologists, ecologists, economists, and sociologists, with experience in national and international projects related to the above topics.

Specific attention is given to olive production as a major crop for the country. One of the first applied research projects in Greece considering agroecological principles was conducted by the institute, on the development of a prototype and the dissemination of ecological olive production systems in Crete. The project aimed at the design, development, evaluation, and dissemination of ecological olive production considering the regional agricultural, ecological, and socio-economic context. It involved the formation of agroecological networks including the foundation of an agri-environmental group, for conversion to ecological production and for transition to an ecological knowledge system, and a pilot group of olive

<footnote n="62">62 http://www.issapp-pushkarov.org/agrohimiya-agroekologiya-i-sistemi-na-zemedelie</footnote>
growers, for interactive prototyping. The main result was the set-up of a local organic farmers' cooperative, launched in 1998 aiming at cooperatively marketing certified organic products. Later on, in the same region, a private-funded project on the "environmental impacts of olive production systems" followed an agroecological approach in order to study different management systems (organic, integrated, and conventional).

Future work on Agroecology is expected through the development of a research unit on Mediterranean tree crops and Sustainable Agriculture, in its department in Kalamata, Peloponnese.

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The initiative of individual units of the institute combined with the network, facilities and infrastructure, as a public institution, allows since very early the rather successful implementation of agroecological research in Greece. Therefore, the importance of setting up a research unit in publicly funded entities, in order to gain momentum in Agroecology is raising.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_940.png" /></figure>

### NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:

Awareness-raising on agroecological practices regarding management of natural resources (soil, agrobiodiversity).

<figure><img src="image_941.png" /></figure>

**EDUCATION:** Integration of direct training to farmers through the agroecological research applied.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_942.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** Promotion and development of synergies and collaboration between actors is largely focused on general research topics (tree crops and vegetables).

<figure><img src="image_943.png" /></figure>

**GOVERNANCE:** Several bureaucratic processes to follow. Non-horizontal structures on decision making.
# 5. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVE

The mapping process of agroecology revealed the low, yet increasing recognition of the agroecological concept by the majority of Greek stakeholders, even though several of the existing practices, organisational structures and principles followed by them, fit well in the agroecological approach. Additionally, certain initiatives have already adapted the agroecological framework claiming to already implement it and verbally expressing its use.

Indeed, the fraction of academic and research entities involving agroecological approaches in their activities can be increased significantly, especially when considering the momentum that agroecology is gaining in recent years. Additionally, several main agroecological practices regarding the use of agrobiodiversity, (minimum) soil management, plant protection and fertilisation is rather well-established among a major part of organic farmers, however it is not perceived by the key actors (farmers) as practices linked to the broader agroecological approach. Living labs appeared to be an unknown and less understood concept, although certain initiatives fulfil the definition as such, while they integrate promising elements of innovation and co-creation processes. Civil society and rural movements appear to be the main activity category where the agroecological concept is well understood and efforts are made for its further promotion. Following the comments made by key informants, it becomes very important to increase the support of education and training of the farming sector on the agroecological principles and practices, combined with focused research and educational curricula, by research and academic institutes, in order to make possible a paradigm shift of the Greek agriculture towards truly sustainable farming system at national level. Targeted financial support by the government, both to farmers and research, is another major issue raised, although some promising elements exist in the EU-supported programmes related to agriculture (CAP, Farm to fork, etc.).

To conclude, the perspective of agroecology in Greece appears to be promising, as several stakeholders are already attached to its development and gradually momentum is gained. Nevertheless the critical factors that will affect its future development originate from providing a clear definition of the concept and maximising the influence on entities like the Greek state and EU, regarding decision making on supporting agroecology. Thus, concentrated bottom-up effort could be intensified towards influencing these institutions.

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors are thankful to Jessica Donham for proofreading this report.
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No101000478 - H2020 Agroecology for Europe. www.ae4eu.eu.

## REFERENCES

CERAI, 2019. CERAI - Sistemas alimentarios territorializados en España 100 iniciativas locales para una alimentación responsable y sostenible.

Gkisakis V., 2011. The Protection of Seeds in Greece. In "End of Farm-Saved Seeds?" Booklet Editors: BiotechWatch.gr—Sporos. 2011. Available online: http://bit.ly/2BJ6Voa (Retrieved July 2021).

Migliorini, P., Minotou, C., Lusic, D., Hashem, Y., Martinis, A. (Eds.), 2011. Proceedings of the International Conference "Organic Agriculture and Agro-Eco Tourism in the Mediterranean", Athens, Greece, 16–19 September 2011. Available online: https://bit.ly/2KdjPis (Retrieved July 2021).

Migliorini, P., Gkisakis, V., Gonzalvez, V., Raigón, M. D., & Bàrberi, P., 2018. Agroecology in Mediterranean Europe: Genesis, state and perspectives. Sustainability, 10(8), 2724.

Psaltopoulos, D., Balamou, E., Thomson, K. J., 2006. Rural-Urban Impacts of CAP Measures in Greece: An International SAM Approach. Journal of agricultural economics, 57(3), p. 441-458.

Van der Smissen, N. Organic farming in Greece 2001; Bad Dürkheim (D) and Frick (CH); Stiftung Ökologie& Landbau (SÖL) und Forschungsinstitut für Biologischen Landbau (FiBL): 2002. Available online: https://bit.ly/2voDvKG (retrieved July 2021).
MAPPING
AGROECOLOGY IN
ITALY

**AUTHORS:** Angelica Marchetti, Stella Beghini, Rolando Belardoni, Andrea Bianchi, Paola Cassiano, Matthias Lorimer and Davide Primucci, Agroecology Europe.
Alice Fasso and Paola Migliorini, UNISG.

**SUPERVISORS:** Stefano Bocchi, AIDA Tommaso Gaifami, Agroecology Europe and AIDA.

**REVIEWERS:** Baptiste Grard and Alexander Wezel, ISARA Vassilis Gkisakis, ELGO-DIMITRA Natalia Rastrogueva and Chiara Flora Bassignana, UNISG.

**WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF:** M. Kelderer, A. Mora Vargas, M. Gasser, I. Folie, N. Sadar, D. Agostini, S. Soppelsa and M. Gabrielli, Laimburg Research Centre. L. Worsdell, Asika NGO.

**TO CITE:** Marchetti A., Beghini S., Belardoni R., Bianchi A., Cassiano P., Fasso A., Lorimer M., Migliorini P. and Primucci D. (2023). Mapping agroecology in Italy. In: Wezel, A., Grard, B. and Gkisakis, V. (eds). Mapping agroecology in Europe. Country Reports Series, Vol. 1, ISARA, Lyon, France; Agroecology Europe, Corbais, Belgium.

<figure><img src="image_944.png" /></figure>

AE4EU

<figure><img src="image_945.png" /></figure>

AGROECOLOGY FOR EUROPE

<figure><img src="image_946.png" /></figure>

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No101000478. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. More information about the H2020-Agroecology for Europe project can be found here: www.ae4eu.eu
ITALY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

**T**he current report provides an overview of the state and development of agroecology and describes some existing agroecological initiatives in Italy, according to five activity categories: Education and Training, Living Lab, Movements, Practice, and Science. The report builds on and integrates the analysis of previous projects and publications at the national and European levels. Through interviews with 15 key informants, information is obtained on agroecological initiatives across Italy. The chosen interviewees are actors who have been who have been involved in agroecology for many years and carry out research, practices and movements in this field. A list of 20 selected agroecological initiatives are described and analysed in this report. These initiatives represent some real examples of applied agroecological principles and approaches.

Overall, in Italy agroecology is gaining more and more attention at all levels. However, a holistic approach to agroecology is still not widely understood and still not widely understood or recognised by the political institutions. This work is a starting point for a national mapping. It highlights context-based good practices and initiatives at a local level which are embedded in the territories. Moreover, it represents useful examples for the development for the future agroecological transition. This mapping process was based on a participatory approach of young activists and researchers and resulted in an inclusive and comprehensive outcome for the future. Furthermore, this activity encouraged networking among different actors and initiatives involved in agroecology, with a potential great impact on decision making at all levels.
ITALY
---
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (IN ITALIAN)

Questo documento fornisce una panoramica dello stato e dello sviluppo dell'agroecologia e descrive alcune iniziative agroecologiche esistenti in Italia, secondo cinque pilastri: Istruzione e Formazione, Living Lab, Movimenti, Pratica e Scienza. Il rapporto si basa e integra l'analisi di progetti e pubblicazioni precedenti a livello nazionale ed europeo. Attraverso le interviste a 15 informatori chiave, sono state raccolte le informazioni sulle iniziative agroecologiche in tutta Italia. Gli intervistati prescelti sono attori che da molti anni si impegnano e portano avanti ricerche, pratiche e movimenti nel campo dell'agroecologia. Un elenco di 20 iniziative agroecologiche selezionate viene descritto e analizzato in questo documento.

Queste iniziative rappresentano degli esempi concreti di applicazione dei principi e approcci agroecologici. Nel complesso, in Italia l'agroecologia sta guadagnando sempre più attenzione a tutti i livelli. Tuttavia, l'approccio olistico dell'agroecologia non è ancora ampiamente compreso e non è riconosciuto dalle istituzioni politiche. Questo lavoro è un punto di partenza per una mappatura nazionale. Evidenzia buone pratiche e iniziative basate sul contesto a livello locale integrate nei territori. Inoltre, rappresenta utili esempi per lo sviluppo della futura transizione agroecologica. Questo processo di mappatura si basa sull'approccio partecipativo di giovani attivisti e ricercatori e ha portato a un risultato inclusivo e completo. Inoltre, questa attività ha incoraggiato la creazione di una rete tra diversi attori e iniziative coinvolte nell'agroecologia, con un potenziale grande impatto sul processo decisionale a tutti i livelli.
# 1. METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The information regarding key informants in Italy are summarised in Table 1.

<table><caption>Table 1: List of key informants in Italy.</caption><thead><tr><th>Key informant n°</th><th>Type of organisation</th><th>Main sector of involvement</th><th colspan="2">ACTIVITY CATEGORY CONCERNED</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Local community-based project</td><td>Access to land movements</td><td>People</td><td>Household</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>University and research</td><td>Arable land, agroecology, organic agriculture</td><td>Lab</td><td>Conference</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Freelance consultancy and training organisation</td><td>Organic horticulture training and practices, agroecology</td><td>House</td><td>Conference</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>University and research</td><td>Agroecology education 'actor-oriented approach'</td><td>Conference</td><td>Lab</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Local education and training organisation, International NGO</td><td>Agri-food education, communication and rural development.</td><td>Conference</td><td>People</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>National organisation - Seed Network</td><td>Agrobiodiversity protection, access to and sharing of plant genetic resources and participatory genetic improvement with farmers.</td><td>House</td><td>People</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Local community-based project, International NGO</td><td>Arable land - traditional grains</td><td>People</td><td>House</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Community Supported Agriculture farm, local farmers movements</td><td>Community-supported agriculture, local farmers' movements.</td><td>People</td><td>House</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Free-lancer consultancy</td><td>Livestock and permanent grassland</td><td>Lab</td><td>House</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Farmer markets, Local farmer movements</td><td>Food sovereignty movements</td><td>People</td><td>House</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>University</td><td>Arable crops, functional agrobiodiversity, weed ecology and management</td><td>Lab</td><td>People</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Local farmer movements and community - organisations</td><td>Farmers' movements for seed exchange and self-production.</td><td>People</td><td>House</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>International and national food system and political organisation</td><td>Food sovereignty, consultant on agricultural policies and agroecology</td><td>People</td><td>Conference</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>National organic farming association, Farmer cooperative</td><td>Organic farming association</td><td>House</td><td>People</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Freelance consultant - national and international NGO</td><td>Arable land, permanent crop and forestry - organic and regenerative agriculture</td><td>House</td><td>Conference</td></tr></tbody></table>
## 2. CONTEXT

Considering the general agricultural features of Italy<fnref n="119" />, the country is characterised by a considerable extension in latitude, with significant variety in climatic characteristics which result in very diverse cultivation systems that generate highly specialised agri-food products. From the orographic point of view, the country features a predominantly hilly landscape (41.6% of the total surface area, where 38.8% of the population resides), followed by the mountainous surface area (35.2%, in which 12.2% of the population resides) and plains (23.2%, in which 48.9% of the population resides).

Agriculture is one of Italy's key economic sectors, although in 2021 it was worth 2% of the national GDP (World Bank, 2022) and employed 4% of population. In 2019, the value of agricultural production was 61.6 billion euros (CREA, 2021¹¹⁹). Among the productive systems, the most prevalent are permanent crops, to which more than 48% of the units are dedicated, followed by arable crops, a sector of specialisation that involves about a quarter of the farms in the register. Among specialised livestock farms, herbivore ones (cattle, sheep and goats) are more widespread, while granivore farms appear less significant (CREA, 2021).

With regards to organic production, according to data from SINAB (National Information System on Organic Agriculture)<fnref n="120" />, Italy is above the European average, with 15.8% of the national utilised agricultural area under organic cultivation (the European average was 8% in 2018). From 2008 to 2019, the Italian agricultural area cultivated organically has almost doubled, from 1 million hectares to 1.99 million.

In Italy, the genesis of agroecological values and approaches finds its main foundations in the academic world in the late 1800s and early 1900s and it coincides in its first developments with the birth and emergence of organic farming (Barberi et al. 2016, Migliorini et al. 2018). Currently, agroecology in Italy is in a momentum of great ferment across all its activity categories, gaining more and more attention from various actors (farmers, NGOs, academics, politician, consumers). This is positive but challenging at the same time, as this ferment often results in great dispersion and confusion, often because the concept of agroecology is still not well-known or interpreted in the same way by all actors (Table 1, KI-all).

At the political level, there is an imbalance between new European strategies (Farm to Fork and the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030) and the current lack of responsiveness on the part of Italian policies at the regional level, in which the term agroecology is certainly not yet included (Table 1, KI_all). Exceptions to the above are i) the law "Provisions for the protection and enhancement of peasant agriculture" ('Disposizioni per la tutela e la valorizzazione dell'agricoltura Contadina') approved in May 2021 by the Italian Chamber of Deputies and currently under discussion in the Senate<fnref n="121" />, and ii) the draft law on agroecology ('Provisions on agroecology, protection of biodiversity and Sicilian agricultural products and technological innovation in agriculture')<fnref n="122" /> by the region of Sicily, in July 2021. The latest may be regarded as the first law in Europe to transpose the Farm to Fork objectives and the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Specifically, the law provides for a series of measures: incentives and rewards for farms that use native species, varieties and breeds; recognition as an 'agroecological farm'; promotion of agroecology courses for farmers; and checks and controls on imports and agricultural production.

<footnote n="119">¹¹⁹ CREA, 2021 - Information mainly retrieved by two "Agriculture in Figures" publication of CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics), from 2019 and 2020 found here (in English): https://www.crea.gov.it/en/web/politiche-e-bioeconomia/-/agricoltura-italiana-conta</footnote>

<footnote n="120">¹²⁰ http://www.sinab.it/</footnote>

<footnote n="121">¹²¹ https://www.agricolturacontadina.org/- https://www榮 camera.it/leg18/126?tab=&leg=18&idDocumento=1968, full text of the discussed law: https://www.agricolturacontadina.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Testo_AgricolturaContadinaAula-discuss-camera-13-05-21.pdf</footnote>

<footnote n="122">¹²² https://w3.ars.sicilia.it/edem/ddl.jsp?idCed=7695</footnote>
# 3. CURRENT SITUATION OF AGROECOLOGY

## 3.1. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

<figure><img src="image_947.png" /></figure>

Within the public state universities, agroecology is still not recognised as a standardised discipline, so that agronomy programmes in Italian universities can have an overall base in Agricultural Ecology, but only a few explicitly refer to agroecology (Migliorini et al. 2018). To date, agroecology still has not been integrated into overall bachelor or master's degree programmes as the main teaching subject. However, within Italian universities notable pioneers of the agroecological approach were identified, who are following the same path other individual academics and lecturers have by opening their classes to agroecology and introducing the term in the name of their courses (Table 1, ITA-KI-2, ITA-KI-4, ITA-KI-11). After the key informant interviews and literature search four main academic courses currently dealing with agroecology could be identified at the master's level (Table 4), whilst no courses have been identified at the bachelor level.

<table><caption>**Table 4:** List of courses at the master's level on Agroecology in Italy at the time of the analysis (2021). Legend: ECTS = European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System.</caption><thead><tr><td>UNIVERSITY</td><td>DEGREE</td><td>COURSE TITLE AND CREDITS</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>University of Florence</td><td>Master's Degree in Agricultural Science and Technology</td><td>Agroecology (6 ECTS)</td></tr><tr><td>Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria</td><td>Specialisation course in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies</td><td>Agroecology course (6 ECTS) since 2011</td></tr><tr><td>University of Padua</td><td>Master's degree course in Nature Sciences</td><td>Agroecology and Ecosystem Services</td></tr><tr><td>Polytechnic University of Milan in 2017</td><td>Teaching of Ecology and Agronomic Sciences</td><td>Module of Agronomy and Agroecology</td></tr></tbody></table>

Regarding full degree programmes, only recently, in 2020, the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo launched the MAFS - Master in Agroecology and Food Sovereignty<fnref n="123" /> (see the initiative n°3 below), where an experiential and research-action learning approach is implemented, and where "there is no distinction between research and education because research is a way to learn and to explore the complexity of the realities in the field of agroecology" (ITA-KI-4, Table 1).

As for PhDs, the international PhD programme in Agrobiodiversity at the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna is largely based on the application of agroecological research approaches (Migliorini et al. 2018). The Programme is a four-year course, in English, with the general aim to improve the utilisation and management of genetic variation in agricultural and natural systems, and to improve the conservation of genetic resources for the well-being of present and future generations<fnref n="124" />. In another format, the University of Bologna has organised in July 2021, the second edition of the Summer School of Agroecology as part of the activities of the International Project Participatory Agroecology School System - PASS<fnref n="125" />.

<footnote n="123">¹²³ https://www.unisg.it/corsi-iscrizioni/master-agroecology-food-sovereignty/</footnote>

<footnote n="124">¹²⁴ https://www.santannapisa.it/en/formazione/phd-agrobiodiversity, brochure on the course: https://www.santannapisa.it/sites/default/files/phd_in_agrobiodiversity_0.pdf</footnote>

<footnote n="125">¹²⁵ The PASS project is promoted by the University of Bologna itself to support the international cooperation activities of its Departments and involving several Universities from North and South America and Europe. https://site.unibo.it/pass/it/agenda/ii-summer-school-of-agroecology</footnote>
Outside the academic experience, few initiatives are dealing with education and professional technical formation specifically in agroecology, mainly small organisations and associations addressing farmers or 'neo-rural' people interested in undertaking a path to create (or transit to) a sustainable agricultural reality (ITA-KI-3, Table 1). However, there are no official courses for farmers or agronomist, accordingly there is a lack of specific professional figures dealing with agroecological formation, especially within the major organic and non-organic farmers' associations (KI_6, Table 1). Realities dealing with education in agroecology for citizens or in schools are often very local and hard to identify, therefore less attention has been paid to those.

A first example of a long-established agroecological school is the Scuola esperenziale itinerante di agricoltura biologica (The Itinerant Experiential School of Organic Farming), in the north-eastern Veneto region. Since 2006, this school offers practical courses that reprise the nineteenth-century approach of the "Cattedre ambulanti" (itinerant lectures)<fnref n="126" />, based on the centrality of practice, where theories are introduced only as a complement to illustration and discussion on practices (Migliorini et al. 2018, Bocchi, 2019).

The NGO Deafal<fnref n="127" /> (European Delegation for Family Farming of Asia, Africa and Latin America, see part 3, initiative n°2), carries out theoretical-practical courses and technical assistance to farms throughout Italy while also dealing with global citizenship and environmental education. Deafal is a pioneer in Italy in the dissemination of Organic and Regenerative Agriculture since 2010 and they explicitly refer to the term agroecology in their activities and projects.

Moreover, a well-functioning and open to all training centre (APAB<fnref n="128" />) has been identified in the region of Tuscany (center of Italy) (ITA-KI-4, Table 1). This training centre offers different courses in the field of Biodynamic agriculture, including specific agroecological practices like cover crops, manure management and other, as well as an up-to-date online dissemination system consisting of a blog and organisation of online webinars.

Based in Viterbo, in the region of Lazio (center of Italy), the Schola Campesina<fnref n="129" />, created in 2017 as an international school of agroecology for the development and sharing of collective knowledge for food sovereignty and for the empowerment of farmers' organisations at local and global levels, has set its learning activity on people's knowledge and horizontal learning processes (popular education).

In Southern Italy, in the region of Campania, the association Agrigiochiamo¹³⁰ is a private association which deals with education and communication related with agri-food systems, rural development and critical consumption, with the aim of raising awareness and education on environmental issues, agri-food and agroecology (see part 3, initiative n°4). Moreover, in Sicily the Scuola di attivazione politica - Agroecologia strumento per costruire economie transformative (political activation school - Agroecology, a tool for building transformative economies)<fnref n="131" /> has recently developed a free of charge and open to all training course with the main aim to increase knowledge and awareness regarding agroecology in its main facets as well as in the new European Community strategies (Green Deal and Farm to Fork). The course took place from February to June 2021 and involved a total of around 250 people.

<footnote n="126">¹²⁶ "Cattedre ambulanti" was a typically Italian institution mainly addressed to small farmers and for decades (1880 - 1930) it represented an interesting dynamic tool to inform, train, involve farmers, integrating economic, social, scientific issues (Bocchi, 2019).</footnote>

<footnote n="127">¹²⁷ http://www.deafal.org/home-page-en/</footnote>

<footnote n="128">¹²⁸ https://www.apab.it/apab/, the Biodinamic couse website: http://www.agricolturabiodinamica.it/</footnote>

<footnote n="129">¹²⁹ https://www.scholacampesina.org/ - ¹³⁰ http://www.agrigiochiamo.it/</footnote>

<footnote n="131">¹³¹ https://www.politichelocalicibo.it/2021/02/03/scuola-di-attivazione-politica-lagroecologia-strumento-per-costruire-economie-trasformative/</footnote>
## 3.2. LIVING LAB

<figure><img src="image_948.png" /></figure>

A Living Laboratory can be identified as a practice-driven organisation that facilitates and fosters open, collaborative innovation, as well as a real-life environment or arena where both open innovation and user innovation processes can be studied and subjected to experiments, and where new solutions are developed.* This co-creation process will play important role in identifying practical mechanisms for strength the agroecological research and innovation ecosystems in Europe.

At the moment in Italy, the concept of living lab (LL) is something relatively new, which emerges within few environments, especially academic ones, and mostly within international projects. As most of the initiatives do not define themselves as living labs, it has not been easy to identify agroecosystem living labs in Italy. Nevertheless, there are still some examples that present many of the characteristics of a living lab. These characteristics have been analysed and implemented in a series of recent European projects, such as AGROMIX<fnref n="132" /> (ongoing) involving a number of Italian partners, which are active in the promotion of an agroecological approach, such as the Sant'Anna University of Pisa and the farm *La Tenuta di Paganico*. Another European project, Agrilink<fnref n="133" />, has supported the work of facilitating and monitoring the activities of the *Distretto di Economia Solidale* (DES - Solidarity Economy District) in the region of Friuli Venezia-Giulia (North-East of Italy) and is configured as a living lab (see part 3 – initiative n°7). However, none of these define themselves specifically as agroecological, a feature that remains difficult to assess given that a living lab in itself embraces several agroecological principles.

The University of gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo in collaboration with the association "Limone Lunare" initiated the first Italian Living Lab within the Agroecology for Europe (AE4EU) European Project. The Varaita Valley (Cuneo province, Piedmont region) has been chosen to implement the Living Lab since it is a territory characterised by a rich Alpine biocultural diversity and by a phenomena of repopulation and new ruralisms: new actors are moving permanently in the valley to carry out activities in the food and agriculture sectors.

The *LL in Varaita Valley* acts as an experiment that can be implemented and reproduced in other Italian and European territories.

At the national level, *Rete Semi Rurali* (Rural Seed Network) has, since its creation, sought to create a link between all the entities that participate in the agricultural-food chain, and for this reason, it can be considered under many aspects an agroecological living lab (see the initiative n°6 below).

Another living lab has been identified in *Terre di Resilienza*, in Campania (South-west of Italy), an initiative established as a social innovation laboratory centred on the recovery and enhancement of the territory's rural heritage and the proximity of relations between the actors in the agri-food chain (see the initiative 8 below).

<footnote n="132">¹³² https://agromixproject.eu/</footnote>

<footnote n="133">¹³³ https://www.agrilink2020.eu/</footnote>

<footnote>*European Network of Living Labs, https://enoll.org/about-us/</footnote>
In Milan (Italy), the *Milano Porta Verde Living Lab project*<fnref n="134" /> (Milan green door living lab project) which was launched in 2020, is an ambitious project that aims to transform an abandoned 40-hectare agricultural area in the Vettabbia Park in the southern area of Milan into a demonstrative, productive and recreational Agroforestry Park linked to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme.

From 2018, in the region of Piedmont (North-west of Italy), the project *Regenerative Villa Fortuna*<fnref n="135" /> is an experimental research project with a living lab set up. The project aims, through the involvement of various stakeholders (local farmers, the University and the Municipality as well as many young people on the field) and a careful monitoring work of a recently implemented 20-hectare agroforestry system, to build a comprehensive set of qualitative and quantitative data that will support a replicable model of regenerative agriculture, following the approach and principles of successional agroforestry.

In the region of South Tyrol (North-east of Italy), the Laimburg Experimental Centre, possesses several characteristics that define a Living Lab (see the initiative n°18 below). However, this research centre does not define itself as an Agroecological Living Lab: its main aim is to gather the requests of a large group of stakeholders and therefore the agroecological approach is not the only one covered in their research.

In addition, in 2020, a report written in Italian entitled "Approccio agroecologico e Biodistretti" (Agroecological approach and Biodistricts)<fnref n="136" />, published by the Italian Rete Rurale Nazionale (Italian National Rural Network), argues that within the biodistrict structure the historical links and values that have characterised the genesis of agroecology and organic farming are recreated and strengthened. The territorial structure of the Biodistrict in fact involves farmers, citizens, local public administrations and other stakeholders in order to develop sustainable agricultural practices in a participatory and mutually beneficial process, with a common goal of promoting and re-evaluating a territory and realising its economic, social and cultural potential. In this sense, agroecosystems living labs can certainly be found within biodistricts, but this aspect would require a more specific analysis.

### 3.3. MOVEMENT

<figure><img src="image_949.png" /></figure>

Within the Italian movements, the social and political dimensions of agroecology are closely related. Indeed, there are many common themes binding the above components, such as food sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency, farmer autonomy, environmental and biodiversity conservation. In Italy there are diverse and very active grassroots associations working on these themes, although, often separately and rarely manage to coordinate or find an open and transversal dialogue (ITA-KI-2, ITA-KI-11, ITA-KI-12, ITA-KI-13 & ITA-KI-15 Table 1).

One of the main fields of agroecological political action in Italy is the pursuit of food sovereignty, also driven by seed access, exchange and sharing (Migliorini et al. 2018). Various regional seed saver associations, particularly active in central Italy, established the *Rete Semi Rurali* (Rural Seeds Network) in 2007, which soon became a reference organisation in the country for the

<footnote n="134">¹³⁴ https://liaison2020.eu/abmassadors/milano-porta-verde/</footnote>

<footnote n="135">¹³⁵ https://www.almonature.com/it/regenerating-villa-fortuna/</footnote>

<footnote n="136">¹³⁶ https://www.crea.gov.it/documents/68457/0/Biodistretti+e+egroecologia.pdf/8e90787d-dc04-5aff-b2fb-f235e1f3e142?t=1621008326912</footnote>
conservation and development of agrobiodiversity (see the initiative n°6 below). A further interesting example, in the region of Campania (southern Italy), is the Sementia initiative<fnref n="137" />, an event dedicated to spreading knowledge of ancient grains.

Other important issues related to food sovereignty are those of access to land, participatory guarantee system and farmers' markets, carried out in Italy by the Genuino Clandestino network<fnref n="138" /> in its different territorial nodes such as Campi Aperti in Bologna, Comunità di Resistenza Contadina Jerome Laronze in Florence and TerraTerra in Rome, just to name a few. Mondeggi Bene Comune (Mondeggi common good) in Bagno a Ripoli (Florence, Tuscany region) is a significant and unique case. It is a diffuse community of people that for years have occupied farmhouses and public lands to oppose to their sell-off. This case identifies with the concept of "land as common goods", raising the issue of food self-determination through agroecology and the free sharing of knowledge.

Other initiatives and associations have recently embraced agroecological principles. One very relevant example is the broad coalition called Cambiamo Agricoltura (Let's change agriculture)<fnref n="139" />, who are part of the European campaign "The Living Land", which lobbies and influences the Italian government on post-2020 CAP reform, as well as carrying out awareness-raising activities. This coalition includes the following associations: AIDA - Associazione Italiana Di Agroecologia (Italian Association of Agroecology), Legambiente, WWF Italia, FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano (Italian Environmental Fund), LIPU - Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli (Italian Legue for Bird Protection), ISDE - Associazione Italiana Medici per l'Ambiente (Italian Association of Doctors for the Environment), ProNatura, organic and biodynamic agriculture associations such as AIB (Italian Association for Organic Agriculture), Associazione Agricoltura Biodinamica (Biodynamic Agriculture Association), Federbio (Italian Federation of Organic and Biodynamic Agriculture) and many others.

Another interesting movement is the Committee Fa' La Cosa Giusta! ("Do the right thing!") in the region of Sicily (southern Italy), formed by 9 organisations committed, in their different fields of expertise, to the construction of a solidarity and social economy network in Sicily, based on some of the principles of agroecology (critical consumption, sustainable lifestyles and circular economy). This network has existed since 2004 and has been active in promoting the draft regional law on agroecology, approved in July 2021 (mentioned above).

The Slow Food Italia<fnref n="140" /> association is a very important network for exchanging knowledge and bringing together different stakeholders to explicitly advocate and spread awareness about agroecology. Within the association, various local communities promote a new gastronomy, based on the preservation and enhancement of bio-cultural diversity.

Relations with the most important global peasant movement, La Via Campesina, are held by two organisations: the Associazione Rurale Italiana (ARI) and the Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica (AIAB), both members of the European Coordination of La Via Campesina (ECVC).

Other relevant movements in implementing and working on agroecological principles in Italy, are those dealing with societal issues such as the exploitation of migrant labourers (NoCAP, Fuori Mercato and Diritti a Sud), or with respect to the recovery and valorisation of

<footnote n="137">¹³⁷ http://www.sementia.it/</footnote>

<footnote n="138">¹³⁸ Genuino Clandestino was founded in 2010 as a communication campaign to denounce a set of unfair rules that, by equating processed peasant foods with those of large food industries, has made them illegal. For this reason, since its inception, it claims the free transformation of peasant foods. https://genuinoclandestino.it/chisiamo/</footnote>

<footnote n="139">¹³⁹ A full list of initiatives and organisation in the coalition here: https://www.cambiamoagricoltura.it/chi-siamo/</footnote>

<footnote n="140">¹⁴⁰ Slow Food is a large international non-profit association that works in 150 countries to promote good, clean and fair food for all. Slow Food Italia link: https://www.slowfood.it/chi-siamo/che-cose-slow-food/</footnote>
assets seized from the Mafias (Libera, Nuova Cooperazione Organizzata, Cooperativa Sociale No Emarginazione - Noe, farm Agricoltura Prossima). However, despite the high social and current relevance of their work, our analysis carried out for this research has shown that these initiatives do not necessarily consider themselves to be "agroecological initiatives" or belong to the agroecological movement.

In addition, agroecological practices and initiatives are also spreading in lowland and urban areas, a phenomenon that seems to have accelerated during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic<fnref n="141" />, such as the activation of CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) around several urban centres, with very important innovative approaches (e.g. CSA Cresco in Valle Varaita, CSA Orobica in Bergamo, CSA Arvaia in Bologna, CSA Semi di Comunità in Rome, and others). CSA initiatives reinforce the direct relationship between producer and consumer or co-producer, as already occurs with farmers' markets. Farmers' markets are one of the most efficient examples of short food supply chains and although they are also present in the Centre-North, they are especially active in Southern Italy, where there are strong rural cultural traditions (Table 1, ITA-KI-5). E.g. Campi Aperti in Bologna, Slow Food Land Markets in Naples or Rareche Mercato Rurale Naturale in Vallo della Lucania (SA) and others.

In Italy, there are several organisations working on agroecology in international cooperation. In this area, too, there is limited collaboration due to a competitive funding and project search system and because often movements tend to focus on certain causes separately, without necessarily connecting with each other (Table 1, ITA-KI-11, ITA-KI-13 & ITA-KI-15). Agroecology can indeed be a good meeting point that could bring together different movement and coordinate their actions (ITA-KI-4, Table 1). However, March 2021 is marked as the launch of Azione TerrÆ - Coalition for Agroecological Transition in West Africa, a valuable occasion and a good example of an alliance between several Italian NGOs and associations that got together under the same umbrella and set themselves common goals. The objective of Azione TerrÆ is to support the agroecological transition in West Africa in international cooperation policies and programmes, starting with Italian cooperation<fnref n="142" />.

## 3.4. PRACTICE

<figure><img src="image_950.png" /></figure>

Agroecological practices have been defined and illustrated in two reports in the recent years in order to orientate the interpretation and adoption of agroecological approaches (HILPE 2019, FAO 2018). However, these sets of practices are not yet well-known outside the academic environment and moreover, given the dynamic and holistic nature of agroecology there is still an ongoing debate and conversation about how to define and evaluate agroecological practices.

Therefore, there are many farms and other realities adopt agroecological approaches with different degrees of awareness, while on the other hand, due to the recent spread of this term, more and more initiatives want to define their practices as agroecological without fully understanding its meaning.

<footnote n="141">¹⁴¹ https://altreconomia.it/le-nuove-csa-nate-nella-pandemia-per-unagricoltura-di-relazione/</footnote>

<footnote n="142">¹⁴² https://www.manitese.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IT-Transizione-Agroecologica-in-Africa-Occidentale_Position-Paper.pdf</footnote>
The agroecological practices mentioned by key informants, as the ones implemented in Italy, were the use of long crop rotations, water-saving irrigation, the creation of grass and flower strips, hedges, the use of mulch on the soil and soil tillage reduction in terms of frequency and depth. Migliorini et al. (2018) have identified other agroecological practices that were traditionally used in Italy and are now increasingly being rediscovered: farm multifunctionality, conservation of local varieties and species, soil fertility improvement, landscape conservation, terracing and agroforestry. An example of this comes from the region of Liguria, where the typical agricultural terraces, olive groves, meadows and pastures of the plateau have declined in the last 50 years but are lately being rediscovered, especially in areas with less tourism (Migliorini et al. 2018). Interestingly, throughout all territories, there is an increase, year by year of support for secondary activities related to agriculture, where for example "agritourism and the minor activities connected to it" stand out with +4.1% of farms in 2019 alone<fnref n="143" />.

Some of these practices were originally financed by European contributions, such as minimum tillage, cover crop introduction and others. Later, they became more widespread, especially in light of the experiences and experimentation of farmers themselves and on the account of the growth in Italy of the surface area dedicated to organic farming. Moreover, in addition to the two most widely recognised certification systems that regulate agri-food systems, organic (EC Regulation No 834/2007) and biodynamic agriculture (controlled by the association Demeter) in recent years, in Italy, other informal and local certification systems, such as PGS (participatory guarantee systems), as well as numerous different approaches to agriculture are becoming increasingly popular (e.g. Agroforestry, natural farming, synergic farming, permaculture, regenerative farming, syntrophic farming) (Table 1, ITA-KI-2, ITA-KI-4, ITA-KI-5 & ITA-KI-15). These other approaches, such as organic farming, agroforestry and permaculture, can fall under the broad umbrella of agroecology (HILPE, 2019).

Among these farms, certified and non-certified, many have for years adopted an agroecological approach from production to sale. An approach that goes beyond the simple implementation of practices at field level but encompassing a structural change in the farm system itself, aimed at reducing external inputs, maximising nutrient recycling and shortening the supply chain. However, the adoption of these practices remains confined to a few farmers and is highly heterogeneous across territories and areas of agricultural production (Table 1, ITA-KI-2, ITA-KI-3, ITA-KI-4, ITA-KI-5, ITA-KI-8, ITA-KI-9, ITA-KI-11 & ITA-KI-15).

For example, horticulture lags behind other sectors. This sector, which is often analysed in conjunction with orchards, is a key component of the national food system: fruit and vegetables account for 25.5% of Italian agricultural production, with a value of 15 billion<fnref n="144" /> and this sector is very intensive, even when organic. As a consequence, it is more difficult to leave space for non-income crops, e.g. cover crops or agroforestry. The situation is similar for livestock farming, which is still perceived as a very locked-in and intensive sector, with little inclination towards agroecological innovation. Conversely, in viticulture, the grassing of vineyards with useful plant species is becoming increasingly widespread, on the account of the experiences of the farmers themselves.

The application of agroecological practices are different across the various regions of Italy. There seems to be a central band of the country where agroecology is more widespread: Tuscany, Marche and Emilia-Romagna regions (Table 1, ITA-KI-2, ITA-KI-4 & ITA-KI-11). Among the regions of southern Italy, Sicily stands out with the presence of numerous agroecological

<footnote n="143">¹⁴³ "Agriculture in Figures" publication of CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics), from 2019 and 2020.</footnote>

<footnote n="144">¹⁴⁴ https://rivistafrutticoltura.edagricole.it/economia-politica/la-filiera-ortofrutticola-disperde-ancora-troppo-valore/</footnote>
initiatives and practices as well as a very active permaculture network<fnref n="145" /> (Table 1, ITA-KI-1, ITA-KI-4 & ITA-KI-7). Northern Italy remains one of the areas characterised by more intensive agriculture. However a particular interest in agroecological practices is being developed within Biodistricts<fnref n="146" /> or park conservation bodies (e.g., Parco del Ticino) (Table 1, ITA-KI-15). However, even within these more active territories, the application of agroecology is uneven, since it is not the regional administrations that have the greatest influence as the agro-morphological and environmental characteristics of the hillier and mountainous areas (Table 1, ITA-KI-11). In the hilly and mountainous regions, technological and conventional innovation is more difficult to disseminate; as a result, agroecology is seen as a possible driver for the economic revitalisation and valorisation of these more marginalised areas (Table 1, ITA-KI-8, ITA-KI-10, ITA-KI-11 & ITA-KI-12). A relevant example is the Gran Sasso National Park, where through the VALOR project (ERASMUS Programme)<fnref n="147" /> agroecology is being used as an enabling and economic driver for the area.

The re-discovery and innovation of agroecological practices is possible mainly due to the work of many associations throughout the territory, which carry out a process of awareness-raising and training of producers (including, for example, *Slow Food*, *Rete Semi Rurali*, *Deafal* and others that will be mentioned in the initiative part). The success of these initiatives is due to the fact that they do not only involve individual farms and producers, but also other players of the supply chain such as processors (bakers, millers, brewers) and ultimately consumers.

There is also an important social component linked to the rediscovery and development of agroecological practices in these areas. In the regions where cooperation has traditionally been stronger, there is a greater awareness and propensity to embrace agroecology, which makes transversal cooperation one of its cornerstones (ITA-KI-11; Table 1).

This should not be taken to imply that agroecology is and/or should be confined only to inland and marginal areas. First of all, due to large part of the Italian territory is hilly and mountainous (see chapter 1.), even from a numerical point of view such projects can potentially have important impacts: traditional production methods can preserve elements of biocultural landscapes that would otherwise be abandoned, enhancing their aesthetic value and thus favouring those areas whose economy is highly dependent on tourism (Van der Ploeg, 2019; Schermer, 2017). Furthermore, one of the major problems in Italy is the abandonment that dramatically characterises many of these areas, which drags a series of negative consequences in lowland and urban areas. For example, in Cinque Terre, where the cessation of maintenance of dry-stone terraces following the crisis of traditional agriculture has been identified as the main cause of damage following heavy rains that caused heavy hydro-geological disasters (Agnoletti et al. 2019).

Finally, among the least widespread practices is agroforestry. However, there are very interesting pioneering research activities on how to implement an agroforestry approach in central Italy (Paoletti et al. 2016; Dal Bosco et al. 2014), for example, combining extensive outdoor poultry production systems in olive groves consociated with asparagus cultivation. In addition, a Food Forest project was born in 2020 in Sicily, in the newly created *Comunità del Cambiamento Valdibella* (community of change); "an agroforestry system capable of producing food but

<footnote n="145">¹⁴⁵ https://www.italiachecambia.org/mappa/permacultura-sicilia/</footnote>

<footnote n="146">¹⁴⁶ According to AIAB (Italian Association of Organic Agriculture) definition "A biodistrict is a geographical area with a natural vocation for organic farming in which the various players in the area (farmers, private citizens, associations, tourism operators and public administrations) enter into an agreement for the sustainable management of resources, focusing on organic production that involves all the links in the chain up to consumption. In short, the biodistrict is a pact for the green development of the territory, signed by organic producers, local administrations and the civil society involved."</footnote>

<footnote n="147">¹⁴⁷ The VALOR project, co-financed by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, is a three-year project that aims to develop a framework of professional skills in the field of resilient and sustainable agriculture and to provide especially young farmers with the necessary tools to undertake this type of activity through specific, freely accessible online training courses. http://www.gransassolagapark.it/pagina.php?id=418</footnote>
at the same time able to engage consumers through a virtuous system of synergies<fnref n="148" />. An example in northern Italy, the *Una Garlanda* farm in Rovasenda (VC) has planted shrubs in its rice fields<fnref n="149" />, an example of the very valuable and ambitious experimental work undertaken by farmers themselves, which is often not adequately recognised.

Among the main and most frequently mentioned obstacles to the spread of agroecological practices by key informant (KIs, Table 1) are following: (i) cultural lock-ins, (ii) shortage of appropriate mechanisation; (iii) scarcity of locally adapted varieties and (iv) lack of appropriate policies. However, there is a general positive trend perceptible towards the adoption of agroecological practices on farms.

## 3.5. SCIENCE

<figure><img src="image_951.png" /></figure>

As with the rest of Europe (Wezel et al. 2018), the scientific dimension of agroecology in Italy remains the dominant one. In particular, the 'science and research' activity category is the one most involved and interested, at least formally, in the aspects of defining, structuring and researching on the approach and practices required for an agroecological transition (Table 1, ITA-KI-2). Italian universities seem to be the place where agroecology is most recognised in its meaning and definition, but there are still few professors and researchers involved in agroecology, who often do not find a full support from their own institutions. Moreover, this interest often emerges within the environmental sciences rather than within the agricultural sciences (ITA-KI-3, Table 1).

The concept of agroecology itself is still not defined in a common way. Even though there are some academic reliable and relevant reports (HLPE 2019; FAO 2018) that provide an international description of agroecological elements and principles, there is an ongoing debate on how to define and interpret agroecology. Some academic research groups focus on the multi-prospective and multi-disciplinary approach of agroecology, others tend to focus solely to the agronomic domain of field and farm scale.

Nevertheless, the inclusion of many research institutions within an international and European work environment facilitates a more homogeneous understanding of the definition (Table 1, ITA-KI-11).

The University Sant'Anna School of Advanced studies (SSSA) has a research group name *Group of Agroecology* (see the initiative n°17 below) and the University of Florence, where research in the field has been carried out for years. In addition, in Italy, the universities of Florence, Perugia, Pisa and Tuscia and research councils have initiated long-term experiments (LTE) for organic farming and agroecological practices<fnref n="150" /> (Migliorini et al. 2018). Other universities mentioned by Key Informants for conducting research on agroecology are the University of Padua (see the initiative n° 19 below), the Polytechnic University of Marche, the University of Palermo, the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" and the University of Catania.

In the Department of Economic Sciences of the University of Parma, agroecology has recently been considered (Guareschi et al. 2020.) starting from the experience of the constituting *Biodistrict of Parma*. The University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo-Bra (UNISG) has a

<footnote n="148">¹⁴⁸ https://www.valdibella.com/la-prima-comunita-del-cambio-e-da-noi/, https://www.valdibella.com/food-forest-ovvero-la-foresto-che-si-mangia/</footnote>

<footnote n="149">¹⁴⁹ https://www.unagarlanda.it/piantumazione-unagarlanda.html</footnote>

<footnote n="150">¹⁵⁰ For example, in Florence (Tuscany region, in central Italy), the MOLTE (Montepaldi Long Term Experiment), the longest-running comparison of integrated, organic and biodynamic agroecosystems, has been conducted since 1992. https://www.dagri.unifi.it/index.php?module=CMpro&func viewpage&pageid=475&newlang=eng</footnote>
large research Agroecology group that coordinates and conducts several research projects and activities related to agroecology at every level: including the food systems level which supports bio-cultural diversity (e.g. AE4EU with Living Labs and knowledge Hub development); the farming system level (e.i. the assessment of the sustainability and GOODFOOD Erasmus project); and the seed level with characterisation, conservation and valorisation of germplasm of local varieties of cereals, horticultural crops, and legumes (e.i. RADIANT project and GERMONTE)<fnref n="151" /> (Migliorini et al. 2018). National research institutions such as CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics) and MIPAAF (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry) have often collaborated mainly on organic farming innovations and in the framework of biodistricts (National Rural Network, CREA and MIPAAF, 2021).

However, more agroecology research, based on an integrated and transdisciplinary approach to transform the whole agri-food system, is needed.

<footnote n="151">¹⁵¹ More information regarding the research activities at the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo-Bra (UNISG) can be found at this link https://www.unisg.it/en/academic-research/</footnote>
## 4. AGROECOLOGY INITIATIVES, CASES AND EXAMPLES

<table><caption>**Table 3:** An overview about initiatives, cases and examples described and analysed.</caption><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">INITIATIVE N°</th><th rowspan="2">INITIATIVE NAME</th><th rowspan="2">SCALE</th><th rowspan="2">TYPE OF STRUCTURE</th><th rowspan="2">AIM</th><th colspan="5">ACTIVITY CATEGORIES</th></tr><tr><th>EDUCATION & RESEARCH</th><th>LIVING LAB</th><th>MOVEMENT</th><th>PRACTICE</th><th>SCIENCE</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Itinerant Experiential School of Organic Farming<br>Scuola Esperienziale Itinerante di Agricoltura Biologica</td><td>Regional</td><td>Association: farmers and agronomist</td><td>Provide training in the management of a small to medium-sized, multifunctional and organically managed farm.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Deafal</td><td>National and international</td><td>NGO</td><td>Improve the living conditions of farmers and strengthen their role in the society, promote food sovereignty and the protection of the territory and the environment, thus regenerating the whole society.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>MAFS - Master in Agroecology and Food Sovereignty</td><td>International</td><td>University master program</td><td>Educate the next generation of agroecologists with knowledge and skills, to become active facilitators of change in agrifood systems and food sovereignty.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Agrigiochiamo association</td><td>Regional</td><td>Private association</td><td>Raising awareness and educating on environmental issues, agri-food education and sustainable development by using recreational tools and soft communication as a main didactic approach.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>House of Seed of Sardinia<br>La Casa dei Semi della Sardegna</td><td>Regional</td><td>Informal association</td><td>Create an informal seed system as an alternative to the current agro-industrial seed system, to preserve local varieties.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Rural Seed Network<br>Rete Semi Rurali</td><td>National</td><td>NGO - Seed Network</td><td>Support the collective management of agrobiodiversity, involve local communities and society through many activities around seeds.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>DES - Solidarity Economy District<br>Friuli di Mie</td><td>Regional</td><td>NGO</td><td>Revitalising the Middle Friuli territory through the creation and enhancement of a cereal chain conducted with organic methods, promoting solidarity economies on a local scale.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Terre di Resilienza</td><td>Regional</td><td>Cooperative</td><td>Introducing an agroecological approach to wheat production</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Cooperativa Sociale Panacea</td><td>Regional</td><td>Social cooperative</td><td>Revitalising the Middle Friuli territory through the creation and enhancement of a cereal chain conducted with organic methods, promoting solidarity economies on a local scale.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Earth Terra Terra</td><td>Regional</td><td>Association</td><td>Shifting towards a peasants-based food system, a model able to get consumers and producers closer to the market.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

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<table><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">INITIATIVE N°</th><th rowspan="2">INITIATIVE NAME</th><th rowspan="2">SCALE</th><th rowspan="2">TYPE OF STRUCTURE</th><th rowspan="2">AIM</th><th colspan="5">ACTIVITY CATEGORIES</th></tr><tr><th>EDUCATION & RESEARCH</th><th>LIVING LAB</th><th>MOVEMENT</th><th>PRACTICE</th><th>SCIENCE</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>11</td><td>Diritti a Sud</td><td>Regional</td><td>Cultural association</td><td>Political activism focused on the protection of fundamental workers' rights and sustainable agricultural production</td><td></td><td></td><td>People</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Il Papavero Rosso</td><td>Regional</td><td>Farmers, researchers</td><td>To provide a healthy product, and environmental sustainability is a consequence of their agroecological farming practices</td><td></td><td></td><td>People</td><td>House</td><td>Microscope</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Arvaia</td><td>Regional</td><td>CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)</td><td>Cultivate its own food, promoting equity, solidarity and participation.</td><td></td><td></td><td>People</td><td>House</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Bioland</td><td>Regional</td><td>Farmers organisations</td><td>Produce food of high quality by utilising sustainable practices that promote biodiversity, soil fertility, animal welfare, and a caring use of the natural resources to ensure a sustainable agriculture and a liveable future</td><td></td><td></td><td>People</td><td>House</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Le Galline Felici</td><td>Regional</td><td>Producers consortium</td><td>Make consumers active and aware, transforming them into co-producers and co-financiers, creating dynamics of solidarity, agricultural and social development projects, building a solidary economy based on relationships</td><td></td><td></td><td>People</td><td>House</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Girolomoni</td><td>Regional/ National</td><td>Agricultural cooperative</td><td>Producing organic pasta managing the entire farming supply chain</td><td></td><td></td><td>People</td><td>House</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Sant'Anna School of Advanced studies, Pisa - Group of Agroecology (GOA)</td><td>Regional International</td><td>Research group integrated in the agronomical field laboratory</td><td>Research related to the role of functional biodiversity and the introduction an uptake of agroecological practices on farms.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>House</td><td>Microscope</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Laimburg Research Center</td><td>Regional</td><td>Research Centre</td><td>Provide a sustainable and a concrete contribution to the development of local producers' businesses.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>House</td><td>Microscope</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Agroecology and Ecosystem Services - University of Padua</td><td>Regional International</td><td>University optional course (master level)</td><td>Offering a space for research and debate with social stakeholders on contemporary multidisciplinary issues related to agroecology.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Microscope</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>LIFE Desert Adapt Project</td><td>Regional International</td><td>Project founded by EU life</td><td>Demonstrate innovative climate adaption strategies and technologies to improve land quality, soil conservation, and plant support in Mediterranean areas under desertification risk.</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>House</td><td>Microscope</td></tr></tbody></table>

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INITIATIVE N°1 – ITINERANT EXPERIENTIAL SCHOOL OF ORGANIC FARMING

# ITINERANT EXPERIENTIAL SCHOOL OF ORGANIC FARMING

<figure><img src="image_998.png" /></figure>

SCUOLA
ESPERIENZIALE
ITINERANTE

AGRICOLTURA
BIOLOGICA

www.scuolaesperienziale.it

Facebook:

@ScuolaEsperienzialeItineranteAgricolturaBiologica

Scuola Esperienziale Itinerante di Agricoltura Biologica

## The Itinerant Experiential School of Organic Farming
(“Scuola Esperienziale Itinerante di Agricoltura Biologica”) officially started in 2006, upon the initiative of some farmers, agronomists and entomologists who had been members of the "Esapoda" Cultural Association since 1999, focusing on the study and planning of biological control strategies for insects.

The School uses a method of teaching organic farming that is based on the centrality of practice: lessons are held on various farms, mostly located in the Veneto region (North-East of Italy). The teachers are farmers themselves, who hold the lessons of their own farms; the only teacher who is not a farmer is the school's coordinator – an agronomist and agroecologist. There are two training modules: horticulture and fruit growing.

The primary objective of the school is to provide training in the management of a small to medium-sized, multifunctional and organically managed farm. At the level of agricultural practices, agroecological management of natural resources is promoted, starting with soil management, organic fertilisation, and biological control of insects and parasites. Self-production of cereal and vegetable seeds is also part of the training. Agroecology thus becomes the practical basis for the training modules of the school. The value of sharing and networking among farmers is also promoted.

It is a one-year course of study - lessons are held on a different farm, one weekend per month - and is open to all interested persons (no particular educational qualification is required): enrolled students primarily come from an agricultural background, others are "neo-rural" aspiring farmers, and there are also technicians and freelancers working in the technical assistance sector.

At the end of the courses, the students are supported in the initial stages of their business project by one or more farmer-teachers who become their tutors.

The school is financed directly by the students' fees (on average 8-10 students per year). The students and alumni of the School form a network that support knowledge exchange and maintain a link even after the end of the annual course. Through individual and co-organised open events with the school, issues and experiences relating to organic farming and ecology are disseminated to the public.

## KEY FEATURES

* **Type of education and training:** training for farmers - action/experimental learning,

* **Main topics:** agro-ecological practices, cooperation between farmers, short supply chain and marketing

* **Training duration:** 1 year

* **Type of legal entity:** association

* **Accessible to:** farmers, "neo-rural", freelance consultants
The School collaborates with associations and other stakeholders linked to organic farming such as AVEPROBI ("Associazione Veneta Produttori Biologici e Biodinamici" - Organic and Biodynamic producer association from the region Veneto in the north-east of Italy), FIRAB ("Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca in Agricoltura Biologica e Biodinamica" - Italian Foundation for Research in Organic and Biodynamic Agriculture) and others. In terms of research with universities, the teachers' and alumni farms have individual collaborations with the Faculties of Environmental Sciences of the University of Venice and Natural Sciences of the University of Padua (see University of Padua initiative), hosting a limited number of internships, thesis or doctoral projects.

<figure><img src="image_999.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 1:** Workshop in the farm "Benetazzo" loc. Salboro - Padova (PD)", checking for Aphid infestation in zucchini crops with the agroecologist Luca Conte.
Source: Lucas Worsdell - "Raices de sobranía" - May 2021.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The emphasis on practical training and the overall management of a farm makes this initiative quite unique in the Italian scene. In addition, the farmer-teachers are also important assets of the school, ready to give inputs and advice to students who want to undertake an entrepreneurial process.
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INITIATIVE N°2 – DEAFAL

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www.deafal.org
Facebook: @DeafalONG

DEAFAL

Deafal (European Delegation for Family Farming of Asia, Africa and Latin America) is an NGO engaged in international cooperation, education on global citizenship and training/technical assistance on regenerative and organic agriculture. It was founded in Milan in 2000 by a small group of Italian and Brazilian agronomists and professionals with the aim to improve the living conditions of farmers and strengthen their role in society, and promote food sovereignty and the protection of the territory and the environment, thus regenerating the whole society. Its vision thoroughly summarises its objectives: "Regenerate soils to regenerate societies". When Deafal began its activity in international cooperation, it approached the themes of regenerative agriculture in Latin America, Mexico and Brasil, with the intention of bringing such concepts back to Italy. Deafal is divided into 5 working areas: (i) Administration, (ii) International Cooperation, (iii) Organic and Regenerative Agriculture, (iv) Communication, and (v) Global Citizenship Education. Deafal's staff is made up of about twenty people, divided into various working groups. Half of the funding comes from public bodies, around 25 % from training and education fees, and the rest from banking foundations, private entities, donations and fund-raising activities.

KEY FEATURES

* **Type of education and training:** training courses for farmers and technical assistance to farms on regenerative and organic agriculture

* **Main topics:** regenerative and organic agriculture

* **Training duration:** variable, depending on the path and the subject to whom it is addressed

* **Type of legal entity:** NGO

* **Members:** assembly of members (27 people) and board of directors (3 people)

* **Accessible to:** farmers, "neo-rural", and freelance

Among its projects in Italy, as well as in international cooperation projects, the education and training on regenerative and organic agriculture is a central part of its activity.

Their work in education and training on regenerative and organic agriculture, with different costs and durations, are divided into two main activities:

1) theoretical/practical training courses for farmers, cooperatives, technicians and amateurs

2) direct technical assistance to farms.

In Italy, since 2010, there have been about 3500 producers and 200 companies trained on regenerative and organic agriculture by Deafal. This work is carried out by technicians and trainers (9 in Italy, mainly agronomists) with a diversified background in economics, ecology, agronomy and veterinary sciences. The courses combine field and laboratory activities with theoretical lessons, timelines, and adaptable content. Technical assistance covers all crops and livestock production and targets small to medium-sized, primarily multifunctional farms, although sometimes bigger farms with tens of hundreds of ha are also targeted.

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EDUCATION

<footnote n="152">¹⁵² The regenerative and organic agriculture is defined by Deafal as a theoretical-practical discipline that draws from different approaches of sustainable agriculture, and that is based on soil regeneration, with an increase of fertility and organic matter, and proper nutrition and crop defence, combining traditional know-how, good agricultural practices and scientific knowledge, starting from biology and ecology. The aim is to regenerate ecosystems and biodiversity, restore the relationships between living beings, and promote knowledge sharing with a bottom-up approach.</footnote>
Technical assistance is configured to guide farms on a transformation path towards a regenerative approach, helping them to maximise the use of local resources and self-produced technical inputs, gradually increasing soil fertility and trying to lower production costs, due to their lower dependence on external synthetic inputs.

Their holistic and systemic approach aims to make farm as a functional and dynamic system. Agroecological principles, such as the use of cover crops and local resources, the promotion of functional biodiversity and soil health, and the reliance on knowledge sharing and bottom-up approach, are central to Deafal's activity and are included in the concept of regenerative and organic

agriculture. The term agroecology is also used independently in training, education and cooperation activities, and is at the heart of their national and international projects where Deafal is a leader or partner. In 2017, Deafal also started an activity on Environmental Education and Global Citizenship, with training projects aimed at civil society and schools. Additionally, it supports Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a member of URGENCI, the international network of CSAs.

Over the years, it has built a dense network of partnerships with more than 70 worldwide organisations, including NGOs, associations engaged in agroecology, research institutes, companies and social cooperatives. It is a member of CoLomba<fnref n="153" /> (Cooperazione Lombardia, the Lombardy NGO coordination), AOI<fnref n="154" /> (the Italian NGO Association), and Agroecology Europe<fnref n="155" />. Deafal also operates as a leader or partner in several national and international calls and projects.

There are many projects planned in the field of education and training, with the desire to explore new ways of training and co-designing. Deafal will continue to develop international cooperation programs (in Togo, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Mozambique) and projects on agroecology, both in Italy and abroad. An illustration of this is the project, MedCaravan (The Mediterranean Caravan: Learning and Sharing Agroecology)<fnref n="156" /> on the collection, enhancement and sharing of local and innovative knowledge concerning agroecology in the mediterranean basin, in collaboration with the MedNet network (The Mediterranean Network of Local Solidarity Based Partnerships for Agroecology).

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Deafal offers a day-to-day training for farmers which is fundamental for a genuine transition towards an agroecological and regenerative agricultural system. Deafal applies a holistic, participatory and engaging approach to guide them to agroecological techniques for each specific socio-economic-environmental context. Deafal's ability to network with the different entities on the territory, with other NGOs and institutions, promotes rural development in a systemic and dynamic way, putting farmers at the centre of this transformation journey.

<figure><img src="image_1006.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 2:** Learning about the production process effective microorganisms to enhance the fertility of compost from a DEAFAL technician on the Azienda Agricola Rio Selva.</figcaption></figure>

Source: Lucas Worsdell - "Raices de sobranía" - May 2021.

<footnote n="153">¹⁵³ CoLomba: https://colomba.org/</footnote>

<footnote n="154">¹⁵⁴ AOI: http://www.ong.it/</footnote>

<footnote n="155">¹⁵⁵ Agroecology Europe: https://www.agroecology-europe.org/</footnote>

<footnote n="156">¹⁵⁶ MedCaravan project: https://urgenci.net/medcaravan-agroecology-as-a-connection-between-agricultural-and-socio-cultural-ecosystems/</footnote>
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INITIATIVE N°3 – MAFS

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Università di Scienze
Gastronomiche di Pollenzo

University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo

https://www.unisg.it/en/programs-admissions/master-agroecology-food-sovereignty/

# MAFS - MASTER IN AGROECOLOGY AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY

In September 2020, the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG)<fnref n="157" /> has launched a new one-year Master Program called "MAFS - Master in Agroecology and Food Sovereignty", with the central aim to educate the next generation of agroecologists with knowledge and skills, to become active facilitators of change in agrifood systems and food sovereignty. This is done through an action oriented, participatory and experiential learning approach aligned with an agroecological educational theory and practice (Francis et al. 2013). The programme has the following key dimensions:

* Action-learning and research

* Food Sovereignty

* Sustainable Agroecosystems

* Sustainable Food Systems

## KEY FEATURES

* **Type of education and training:** master program

* **Main topics:** agroecology and food sovereignty

* **Training duration:** 1 year

* **Type of legal entity:** university

* **Accessible to:** students from all countries, a bachelor's degree and English proficiency is required

The story of the MAFS has started two years before, in 2018, within the "NEXTFOOD" H2020 project "Educating the next generation of professionals in the agrifood system"<fnref n="158" />, when UNISG invited project partners, current and former students, practitioners and Slow Food representatives to co-design the MAFS program in a collaborative and participatory way starting from the question: "what are the knowledges and competences needed to become an agroecologist?". Within Italy, this is the only masters program of its kind fully dedicated to agroecology.

The UNISG team includes the following individuals: one course director, one action learning and research facilitator, and several researchers and lecturers, both internal UNISG professors and visiting professors invited from other European universities. During the first 2 phases of the MAFS (Sep-Dic and Jan-Mar), the course offers a weekly practice at the UNISG garden or in an agroecological farm near Pollenzo. The whole master programme is case-based. The collaboration with the Slow Food movement helped the program identify Terra Madre<fnref n="159" /> communities, where students live for three months. During this 3rd phase of the program (Apr-Jun), students learn by doing, to link theoretical with practical knowledge and to develop action-research identifying themes relevant for stakeholders. The aim of the master's programme is to develop the student's knowledge and competences which are needed to facilitate changes in the agri-food systems. After the MAFS year, students have many different choices for their future endeavors, from the practical application of farming to continuing their studies, or simply returning to their previous job with a new and broader perspective.

PRACTICE

SCIENCE

EDUCATION

<footnote n="157">¹⁵⁷ The University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) based in Pollenzo, Northern Italy, was founded in 2004 by the international non-profit association Slow Food and accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education and Research as a private non-profit institution. Since its foundation has had the goal to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes, enabling students to deal with complex situations in agricultural and food systems development, particularly in the field of food and gastronomic science.</footnote>

<footnote n="158">¹⁵⁸ To know more about Next Food: https://www.nextfood-project.eu/about-2/</footnote>

<footnote n="159">¹⁵⁹ Terra Madre is an international network of farmers, fishers, food producers and cooks, supported mainly by Slow Food and with the common aim of protecting and supporting small-scale producers (https://2022.terramadresalonedelgusto.com). Slow Food communities definition on SF website: Slow Food communities are made up of a group of at least 10 people who share and promote the values of the international Slow Food movement (as summed up in the Declaration of Chengdu), a community is based first and foremost on the assumption that everyone has the right to good, clean and fair food and that Slow Food will not give up the fight until every last person on this planet has access to it.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_1013.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 3:** MAFS' students and teachers at UNISG, 2021. Source: UNISG.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Collaboration between academics, practitioners/farmers/food producers, educators and students is overarching the whole genesis, development and current activities of MAFS.

**An action learning approach.** The experience can be an incredibly powerful tool if space and time for reflection is given. Differently from a traditional university approach, the professor is no longer the person sitting behind the desk, supplying students with knowledge and contents, but takes on the role of facilitating the whole learning process taken up by the student. Students, in turn, must acquire an active role, in which they are the one exploring and experimenting the situation, and connecting the acquired theory with real life activities (past, present and future).

**Diversity.** The program is open to students from different countries (as it for course at UNISG) with very different backgrounds, some of them grew up in conventional farms, others had never worked in the field before, therefore students can already learn a lot from one another because of their connections, backgrounds, and different skills.
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INITIATIVE N°4 – AGRIGIOCHIAMO ASSOCIATION

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AGRIGIOCHIAMO

http://www.agrigiochiamo.it

Facebook: @AgriGiochiAmo

# AGRIGIOCHIAMO ASSOCIATION

Agrigiochiamo (that could be translated into "agro-playing") is an association which deals with education and communication related with agri-food systems, rural development and critical consumption, with the aim of using recreational tools and soft communication as a main didactic approach to raise awareness and education on agri-food and environmental issues, as well as sustainable development. The association was founded in 2010 and it is composed of 23 members with various professional backgrounds.

Agrigiochiamo association's main activities consist of training, advice and accompaniment of farms (mainly farms focused on educational and multifunctional agricultural activities), cooperatives and farmer's organisations, agri-food enterprises, public institutions, as well as educational workshops and training to schools (especially kindergarten and primary school) and universities. The educational activities implemented are linked to the nature of the context: for example, within a dairy farm, activities will be developed that are related to breeding and production of dairy products, while in a pizzeria the educational activities will be focused on topics like cereals, flours and raw materials used in that context. The focus of the educational activities depends on the context where are carried on (e.g. breeding and dairy product in a dairy farm or cereal breeding and row materials' use in a pizzeria). The teaching is supported by panels and manual educational

kits with the aim of promoting experiential and multisensory educational processes on topics such as conscious consumption, environmental and food education, local products by farms that conduct organic or biodynamic agriculture, permaculture etc.

The association applies an approach based on Howard Gardner's theories of multiple intelligences<fnref n="160" /> (Smith 2002), as a tool to teach and raise awareness about the ecological principles and practices related to food production.

The association has developed a teaching methodology based on pedagogical theories which consider educational activities in the agricultural sector as a powerful tool. The methodology also requires the creation of a strong connection between the agricultural identity of the farm and the educational activities

## KEY FEATURES

* **Type of education and training:** training courses and advice for farmers and educational training workshops to schools.

* **Main topics:** agri-food education; sustainable development; rural development; urban redevelopment; critical consumption; marketing

* **Training duration:** from one day to three years

* **Type of legal entity:** association

* **Members:** educators; ecologists; agronomists; food technologists; environmental architects; experiential and gastronomic tourism designers

* **Accessible to:** farms, agri-food enterprises, public institutions, schools and universities.

<footnote n="160">¹⁶⁰ Howard Gardner's theories challenged the traditional notion that there is one single type of intelligence that only focuses on cognitive abilities. To broaden this notion of intelligence, Gardner introduced eight different types of intelligences consisting of: Linguistic, Localical/Mathematical, Spiritual, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Naturalist.</footnote>
provided. About 70% of the educational activities carried on by Agrigiochiamo association takes place in the regional context of Campania (South-west of Italy), but it has been reached a wide coverage at the national level too.

The association is involved in urban redevelopment and co-planning projects, as for example, focused on developing school gardens and urban gardens in metropolitan areas, as well as in gastronomic tourism programs within universities' courses.

The recent collaboration within a FAO project opened new perspectives to the association, representing an opportunity to replicate the agroecological model of rural development and agritourism in extra-European countries.

<figure><img src="image_1020.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 4:** Lesson on educational farm. Source: Agrigiochiamo member.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Agrigiochiamo association has given the opportunity to farms and agri-food enterprises to gain awareness about an agroecological approach and to learn how to communicate it through an effective and innovative way, even when an agroecological approach was already existing but not recognised as such. Several practices such as the biodiversification of the environment, the absence of chemical treatments for fertilisation and pest control, crop rotation, animal welfare, and regeneration of soil through fermented manure, were already implemented within the farms. The Agrigiochiamo association turned it into a communication and educational tool for the didactic activities implemented by the farms.

As for the teaching methodology applied, the experiential learning and the recreational tools revealed the importance of developing an emotional attachment to food conceived as an agricultural product in order to raise awareness among children and creat more engagement and interaction between students and teachers as well as between children and families.
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INITIATIVE N°5 – LA CASA DEI SEMI

La Casa dei Semi

https://casadeisemi.noblogs.org/

# LA CASA DEI SEMI DELLA SARDEGNA

La Casa dei Semi della Sardegna (in English: "House of Seed of Sardinia") is an informal (i.e. not legally registered) and self-organised group of about 10 people. The core group is composed by 2 farmers, some technicians and agronomists and people who are nutritionally self-sufficient. By choice, the group wants to remain informal and outside any institutional constraint, after having been involved in a past institutionalised experience of the regional "biodiversity committees".

The initiative aims to create an informal seed system as an alternative to the current agro-industrial seed system as a starting point for those who want to become farmers.

Founded in 2016 from the Sardinian Genuino Clandestino<fnref n="161" /> (the participatory guarantee Italian movement), La Casa dei Semi della Sardegna has started in the form of informal meetings organised in a village in an agricultural valley devoted to pasture and arable land, with the main purpose of reviving the village by preserving local varieties.

Today, besides conservation and an annual seed swap, the initiative also offers free trainings for hobbyists, gardeners and farmers, in order to actively involve farmers and cooperatives in the use of local seed varieties. Through workshops about how to reproduce their own seeds and other training activities related to cultivation with agroecology practices, the initiative has managed to involve many actors in the supply chain. They use directly the term agroecology in their training modules, and they encourage the use of local seed and adopt agroecological techniques.

La Casa dei Semi della Sardegna relies on an active communication and social media to coordinate activities and schedule courses and meetings. The training events occur throughout the year and are open and free to all citizens (with voluntary donation) and last around 2-3 days. Usually there are around 12 to 25 people in attendance including students, farmers and interested citizens. Trainings are organised in partnership with various civil society groups such as Civiltà Contadina (Italian Seed Savers), Rete Semi Rurali (Italian Seed Network), CNR (National research institute) and national agricultural high schools.

## KEY FEATURES

* **Type of education and training:** workshop on reproducing local varieties and annual seed swaps

* **Main topic:** all crops, seed saving and exchanging, agroecology

* **Trainings duration:** 2-3 days every 4-6 months

* **Type of legal entity:** informal organisation

* **Members:** farmers, technicians, citizens

* **Accessible to:** anyone interested in the topic (e.g. hobbyists, gardeners and farmers)

<footnote n="161">¹⁶¹ Genuino Clandestino was founded in 2010 as a communication campaign to denounce a set of unfair rules that, by equating processed peasant foods with those of large food industries, has made them illegal. For this reason, since its inception, it claims the free transformation of peasant foods. https://genuinoclandestino.it/chisiamo/</footnote>
Besides seed material, the initiative also generated a database with morphological /ethnobotanical and cultivation characteristics, which are available to all users. This is because "The dream is to create a network of farmers and hobbyists reproducing seeds and deciding internally who does the cereals, who does the vegetables, so that the distribution is managed by the farmers rather than the commercial network"(Initiative Informant – II n°16).

<figure><img src="image_1026.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 5:** Assembly 11 August 2021 - Reflections, proposals and possibilities for activities and working groups of the Sardinian Seed Network. Source: Casa dei Semi Sardegna.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The initiative stressed the importance of both the formal and the informal world of seed saving. The key to greater development and dissemination of agrobiodiversity is to understand where these two very different, but dependent realities, can meet and create a good synergy to work together.
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INITIATIVE N°6 – RETE SEMI RURALI

# RETE SEMI RURALI

Rete Semi Rurali (RSR) is a seed network organised as a second-level association (members are organisations, not individuals) of 34 national organisations that aim to innovate agricultural systems starting from seeds. According to the association, there is no way to innovate an agricultural system without diversifying the underlying genetic resources system, which can then directly lead to the diversification of food systems. To achieve its vision, RSR supports, facilitates and promotes contacts, dialogues, exchanges and sharing of information and knowledge among actors who affirm the values of agrobiodiversity and are opposed to practices that generate erosion and the loss of diversity, such as intensive agro-industrial monoculture-based models.

Even if RSR does not claim to be a living lab or even label themselves as such, many of their practices and actions could be considered, unbeknownst to the many actors, as Living Labs. If the term Living Labs means a laboratory in which issues are tackled through collective discussion and concrete actions, Rete Semi Rurali was unknowingly a Living Lab *ante litteram*. All RSR initiatives

are a cohabitation of knowledge of a very variegated nature: the central problem/issue is tackled by people from different backgrounds and experiences who come together to find an effective synthesis that considers the vision of all the players in the chain (for example, in cereals, the cultivation and processing of local varieties of wheat will involve farmers, researchers, millers but also bakers and consumer-citizens).

RSR was created informally in the early 2000s out of the common vision of several Italian agricultural associations, which considered agrobiodiversity to be a substantial element for the continuation of agricultural practices, especially in peripheral areas and because climate change was already showing its first signs. The creation of the association was an important moment for the agricultural sector as it structured into a network with a common conviction. Therefore, through its many meetings throughout the territory, RSR has brought together syntheses, reflections, paths and practices already present in the communities, and, over time, has legitimised and promoted them within a dynamic and collective management of agrobiodiversity. RSR proposes and carries forward this essential and innovative element in its daily activities, dividing its action into 4 thematic areas (Box 1). It takes shape through horizontal thematic (peer-to-peer), participatory and multi-actor meetings often organised directly on farms. The seeds come together with agronomic cultivation techniques and the knowledge associated with their use, for this reason a central objective of RSR is to involve local communities and society. The association's slogan and the founding mission which steers all of its activities are 'to every soil its seed, to every seed its soil'.

For the coordination of activities and actions, there is a permanent staff of about 15 people (administration, agronomists, sociologists), and another 5-7 who collaborate on an occasional basis.

<figure><img src="image_1032.png" /></figure>

Rete
Semi
Rurali

www.rsr.bio

Facebook: @semirurali - Twitter: @retesemi

## KEY FEATURES

* **Main topics:** agroecological practice, community seed banks, participatory plant breeding, organic heterogeneous material, and local and organic varieties

* **Founded in:** 2007

* **Type of organisation supporting the living lab:** NGO - seed network

* **Type of actors involved:** multi-actor approach

* **Scale of the living lab:** national
During its organising territorial meetings, the association has brought together thousands of people, including members, farmers, institutions, researchers and the simply curious.

RSR encourages the flow of information and innovation in agriculture at the European level since it is a member of both the consortium that promotes genetic improvement for organic farming, the European Consortium for Organic Plant Breeding (ECO-PB), and the first social movement to address agrobiodiversity and access to seeds, the European Coordination Let's Liberate Diversity! (EC-LLD).

RSR mainly participates in public and European funds calls and has a minimal and unstable private contribution. The 34 member organisations pay a very low fee and do not account for revenue for activities.

## BOX 1. RETE SEMI RURALI THEMATIC AREAS

### 1 - ACTION RESEARCH:

The diversification of agricultural systems needs to bring research back into the field (decentralised) involving the actors (participatory), the so called participatory plant breeding. RSR coordinates such meetings within the network.

### 2 - COMMUNITY SEED BANKS:

Within the new diversified seed systems, an important role will be played by the CSBs, formal or informal entities that facilitate the use and cultivation of diversity by farmers, hobbyists and citizens. In its central office RSR hosts a CSB with varieties of wheat, rice, tomato and lentils.

### 3 - COMMUNITY:

Talking about seeds means talking about the communities that grow them, process them and, finally, eat them. Each RSR member tries to do this in their own territory.

### 4 - SOWING CHANGE:

To promote change in agricultural systems, it is necessary to build a political, legal, economic and social environment that makes this possible.

<figure><img src="image_1033.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 6:** Rete Semi Rurali's seed bank in 2019 has recovered more than 200 local Italian rice varieties from IRRI (International Rice Research Institute). The aim is to carry out varietal trials and create mixtures to reintroduce and cultivate them in organic farming systems. Source: Lucas Worsdell - "Raices de sobranía" - May 2021.</figcaption></figure>
## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The importance of the figure of the facilitator. This work of building bridges, facilitating, strengthening, and maintaining relationships has proven, through the experience of RSR and others, to be fundamental to an inclusive agroecological transition. From the experience of RSR it is necessary to learn to identify the facilitator as a person with an aptitude for relationship management and as a real professional figure who perceives common issues and enhances them, finding synergies through his or her skills catalysing processes and mitigating possible conflicts. The person in charge of "facilitating" such processes has transversal skills ranging from technical to economic, social, and research and can dialogue with different players and worlds.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1034.png" /></figure>

**HEALTH:** Diversification of diet starts with a diversification of available genetic resources. A diversified diet has a positive impact on people's health.

<figure><img src="image_1035.png" /></figure>

**SOCIETY AND EQUITY:** The strategy used by RSR to encourage the circulation of knowledge within its own communities of reference constitutes an alternative model to the top-down approach to innovation in agriculture hitherto promoted by conventional agriculture.

<figure><img src="image_1036.png" /></figure>

**ECONOMY:** The Community Seed Banks tool allows farmers to achieve greater independence from the conventional system while supporting the growth of knowledge capital and seed availability.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1037.png" /></figure>

**POLICY:** The circulation of knowledge requires figures not recognised at the public policy level on issues related to technical dissemination in agriculture. For example, in the regional Rural Development Programmes for the promotion of operational groups, the costs of the "facilitator" are not covered.

<figure><img src="image_1038.png" /></figure>

**ECONOMY:** RSR's sustainability mechanism is provided by public funding and donations from private foundations, and to a small extent, through its own social base. This mechanism leads to an uncertainty of the sustainability of territorial initiatives over time and to inefficient use of the resources that must be employed for the ongoing pursuit of donors' projects.
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INITIATIVE N°7 – FRIÛL DI MIEÇ

<figure><img src="image_1044.png" /></figure>

www.des-mediofriuli.it
Facebook: @PANeFARINE

# SOLIDARITY ECONOMY DISTRICT - FRIÛL DI MIEÇ

The Distretto di Economica solidale (DES) - Solidarity Economy District was created in 2016 by a group of young aspiring farmers with the aim of revitalising the Middle Friuli territory in the North-East of Italy through the creation and enhancement of a cereal chain conducted with organic methods, promoting solidarity economies on a local scale. Since 2019 it has been collaborating with the H2020 project "AgriLink"<fnref n="162" />, that supported the work of facilitating and monitoring the activities of the District, configured as a Living Lab. Other farmers joined in and now form a solid network that managed to close the production chain, buying a bakery in Udine in 2021. The flours are then sold to private individuals and bakeries and distributed through other channels.

## KEY FEATURES

* Main topics: agroecological practice and production

* Founded in: 2016

* Type of organisation supporting the living lab: NGO

* Type of actors involved: farmers, scientists and advisors

* Scale of the living lab: regional

This initiative does not express directly the word "agroecology", but in some activities the agroecological aspect is considered, for example in the management of natural and social resources. Within AgriLink, the activity "Living Labs for innovation support services" is aimed at developing and testing innovative services that connect researchers, farmers and private and public consultants. Throughout the project, the co-creation of knowledge was bound by each partner bringing to the table their unique contexts. For Friûl di Mieç, two individuals were funded, one for facilitation and one for monitoring, which are the central activities to ensure sustainable management of their Living Lab.

DES has developed collaborations with different actors at the regional level: in addition to AIAB FVG (Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica-Friuli Venezia Giulia), which contributes assistance and networking services, the University of Udine (Department of Economics, Society and Territory) participated with surveys for regulatory support and socio-economic structuring of the initiative. A RDP project financed the purchase of small materials and the creation of labels. Finally, as part of the AgriLink Friûl di Mieç project, it has developed relations with others European LL.

The success of the project depends on the framework, as it is a project in which farmers can experiment without risking too much in terms of yield or economic loss, as each measure provides reimbursement when needed and good accompaniment from experts.

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The initiative has contributed to the recovery of abandoned land in areas where agriculture was facing a major crisis, generating an agricultural cooperative that produces markets flours that are in demand in the region. The interest and action of different actors has found a channel for promoting the area.

<footnote n="162">¹⁶² Agrilink has the overall aim of "creating services and tools to support a demographically and professionally heterogeneous group of farmers and other stakeholders in consolidating the wheat supply chain that is based on the cooperative management of common lands", see the website: https://www.agrilink2020.eu/</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_1045.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 7:** Workshop and exhibition of bakery products from the DES chain in a public presentation. Source: DES - Solidarity Economy District - Friuli di Mieç.</figcaption></figure>

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1046.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** Marketing takes place through local and solidarity-based supply chains. The flour thus becomes a real product that is the identity of the territory and of the participatory process that has succeeded in activating farmers, consumers and other actors in the mid-Friuli area.

<figure><img src="image_1047.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:** Abandoned crops have been revived following organic cultivation.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1048.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** Although the process has succeeded in involving various actors, there is still little knowledge of these innovative social-productive dynamics at the political and institutional level.

<figure><img src="image_1049.png" /></figure>

**GOVERNANCE:** These processes need continuous monitoring and facilitation. Unfortunately, in the agri-food sector there are no professional figures who follow this area of work, except when funding is obtained from specific projects.
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INITIATIVE N°8 – TERRA DI RESILIENZA

# TERRA DI RESILIENZA
MONTE FRUMENTARIO

<figure><img src="image_1055.png" /></figure>

MONTE • FRUMENTARIO
TERRA • DI • RESILIENZA

http://www.montefrumentario.it

Terra di Resilienza is an initiative born in Campania, Southern Italy, as a laboratory of social innovation, with the aim of reactivating the communities of the Calabrian-Lucan Apennines that have suffered a strong depopulation. The main ambition of this initiative is to restore the communities' social identities through research, recovery and enhancement of the local rural heritage, combining traditional knowledge and practices with technological innovation and socio-economic transformation. The social innovation process promoted by this initiative is based on the "relation of proximity" between the actors of the local food supply chain and on the idea of an active community capable of transforming an apparent disadvantaged area into an advantaged one.

The Living Lab experience began in 2004 with an event organised by the Pro Loco, a volunteer, grass-roots organisation promoting the local culture of specific places.

This event, held at Caselle in Pittari called "Palio del Grano", aims at gathering the community's social protagonist and triggered the process of research and recovery of traditional cereal varieties of Cilento. It consists of a week of "laboratory, experimentation, observation, experience, knowledge, exchange and learning" linked to grain culture, ending with a manual harvest competition between the eight districts of Caselle in Pittari. The seeds from the "Biblioteca del Grano" (Wheat Library) were distributed to be cultivated by the farmers of the neighbouring areas.

From the experience of Pro Loco, in 2012 the Terra di Resilienza social cooperative was founded, with the aim of introducing an agroecological approach to wheat production. Due to the Terra di Resilienza cooperative, which is now made up of twenty-five members and four employees, the "Biblioteca del Grano" became increasingly structured. In 2017 it becomes the Monte Frumentario, the cooperative's mill, financed both with private funds taken out by the cooperative and from the Waldensian Church.

Terra di Resilienza can be defined a living lab as it comes from a collective will to reconstruct the productive fabric relating to the wheat chain in a shared and co-designed perspective. All the phases of the project, from the recovery and selection of cultivated wheat varieties, the distribution of seeds, the cultivation method, the transformation and distribution of the finished product, was regulated by a participatory and extended decision-making process by all individuals involved in the initiative. The process of social innovation carried out by this initiative intends to restore value and functionality to a secular transmission mechanism of knowledge and practices related to ecology, agriculture, sociality and food culture, with the aim of enhancing the biocultural diversity of this specific area.

## KEY FEATURES

* **Main topics:** social innovation, agroecological practice and food sovereignty

* **Founded in:** 2004

* **Type of actors involved:** farmers, researchers, consultants, farmers cooperatives, public institutions, retailers, consumers organisations, citizens.

* **Scale of the living lab:** regional
The mill first deals with the transformation of cereals and the distribution of flour in local restaurants, bakeries, pasta makers and pastry shops. Monte Frumentario is responsible for distributing seeds from the "Biblioteca del Grano" to local farmers. The system is informal, with the only condition being for an individual to become a "compare" (literally godfather), which means establishing an informal relationship with the other members of the cooperative, as close as family in southern Italy. The "compare" is required to return the seeds entrusted to him by the cooperative, which in turn guarantees the purchase of the production at a price previously established, usually much higher than conventional grains. A small part of the production is not purchased from the cooperative, but left to the producer, "so that he can eat his bread and his pasta".

To date, twenty-six producers cultivate wheat for the cooperative, for a total of one hundred hectares of land managed with an agroecological approach. Due to the presence within the cooperative of an agronomist trained in regenerative organic agriculture who deals with the training of older farmers whose approach is more traditional, most of the producers started adopting agricultural practices based on the diversification of the environment, the total absence of chemical treatments for fertilisation and pest control, crop rotation, and regeneration of soil through fermented manure. However, the traditional practices of some farmers revealed to be already agroecological in terms of environmental and social impact. The main products are wheat, spelt, barley, rye and chickpeas. The products coming from the processing of flour are widespread throughout the production area of Caselle in Pittari and the neighbouring towns. The Wheat library hosts now more than seventy different varieties of traditional cereals, while the Palio del Grano has reached its seventeenth edition, involving thousands of participants from all over the country such as farmers, millers, students, researchers, restaurateurs, bakers, associations, public, and private institutions.

Terra di Resilienza is part of a national network (Rete Semi Rurali) made up of thirty-four organisations that promote the dynamic and collective management of agricultural diversity. It is part of the Consortium La Rada<fnref n="163" /> and collaborates with diverse national and international organisations including for example Deafal and Slow Food. It also deals with ecotourism and research in the humanities.

In the near future, the cooperative will open its own malting and backing plant. The structure will also host spaces dedicated to cultural laboratories. On the account of the collaboration with Rural Hack<fnref n="164" />, an innovative monitoring project will be implemented for the collection of environmental data in the fifty wheat fields of the farmer's network.

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The process of innovation of agricultural practices favoured by the presence of researchers within the cooperative and the interaction with local farmers allows the members to adapt the agroecological approach of the cooperative to the specificities of the territory, revealing also that traditional knowledge and practices are often recognised as agroecological.

<footnote n="163">¹⁶³ The aim of the Consortium La Rada is to make its vocation and skills available to the local communities through services based on legality, solidarity, guaranteed quality and the competence of the staff employed. La Rada associates 21 social cooperatives operating mainly in the south west are of Italy (Salerno and other provinces) and provides services for children, young people, families, women, the elderly, people with disabilities and local communities. https://www.consortiolarada.it</footnote>

<footnote n="164">¹⁶⁴ Rural Hack has the aim to facilitate access to the advanced technologies and precision agriculture at reasonable costs to allow farmers to create infrastructures and products. http://www.ruralhack.org/en/</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_1056.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 8:** Harvesting the mixture of ancient grains by hand with young local participants of the Camp di Grano on one of the farms of the Cumparete ahead of the Palio.</figcaption></figure>

Source: Lucas Worsdell - "Raices de sobranía" - July, 2021.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1057.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** Promotion and development of synergies and collaborations between the actors of the cereal supply chain both upstream and downstream, creating opportunities for socialisation between the communities of small rural centers.

<figure><img src="image_1058.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:** Use of agricultural practices that promote soil fertility such as experimental biofertilisers derived from the fermentation of fresh cow manure with ash, milk, sugar and yeast.

<figure><img src="image_1059.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** Sell at alternative channels to large-scale distribution such as bakeries, pizzerias, restaurants, pastry shops and direct sales. The initiative try to provide fair remuneration for farmers.

<figure><img src="image_1060.png" /></figure>

**TRADITIONAL FOOD AND HERITAGE CONSERVATION:** The cumparete promotes innovation and conservation of the cultural, agricultural and food heritage of the area.

<figure><img src="image_1061.png" /></figure>

**EDUCATION:** Strong connection of the community to the educational activities of the Palio, for example families see the participation of their children as a highly educational experience.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1062.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** Being an informal initiative under many aspects, access to credit or public funding is more difficult to obtain.

<figure><img src="image_1063.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** The cooperative struggles to reach lease agreements on agricultural land, which for the most part is managed informally, thus not allowing to make investments to secure the crops.

<figure><img src="image_1064.png" /></figure>

**GOVERNANCE:** Rural development policies, together with the agricultural development vision of a certain part of the population, do not pay attention to the need to preserve and promote the ecosystem approach balances of a territory that only as a whole can offer the conditions for widespread agricultural sustainability. except when funding is obtained from specific projects.
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panacea
PANE A LIEVITAZIONE NATURALE

https://www.viabaltea.it/spazi - Panificio

https://www.facebook.com/panepanacea/

INITIATIVE N°9 – PANACEA

COOPERATIVA SOCIALE PANACEA

Panacea and the related food chain called Stupinigi is the km0 baking project started in 2014 when a bakery managed by a social cooperative was opened in Turin. This project aims to produce bread for the city of Turin, basing the production on proximity agriculture, therefore using raw materials (I) coming from a nearby area where the environment is preserved, and (II) cultivated with sustainable agriculture practices. The Stupinigi Park, near Turin, is the production area of this project because it is a natural park with some areas predisposed for farming, accordingly satisfying the related demand of the food production chain.

KEY FEATURES

* Main goal: creation of a fair food chain

* Founded in: 2014

* Type of organisation: social cooperative

* Farming sectors: cereals

* Scale of the organisation: regional

This production chain includes four family-run farms of medium size that hire lands inside the Stupinigi Park, and a mill, specifically the family-run Mill Roccati of Candia Canavese, placed 30 km away from Turin and being both a roller mill of the '900 century and a stone mill.

The Panacea bakery is a social cooperative, it combines the quality of the production, in terms of health and taste, with the research of offering dignified job positions to socially or physically disadvantaged people. Panacea has 17 partners working in the bakery and in the four commercial activities, where the bread is sold, in Turin and Stupinigi. The cooperative has an administration council constituted of a president, five counsellors, and other referents of the production and selling areas.

This cooperative started harvesting and propagating traditional cereal varieties during its development due to the collaboration with the University of Pollenzo and the Research Centres of the University of Piacenza, Italy. In the first years, it had a small number of seeds; after the harvest, it made a mixture of the varieties of cereal produced/planted in purity. When quantities have become abundant, the cooperative started cultivating and seeding a mixture, 'the Panacea mix', composed of 5 different soft kinds of wheat. The mixture guarantees a good yield and a homogenous flour during the years.

Producers receive numerous advantages from working inside this production chain:

1. The production chain pays cereals with a negotiation that falls outside the cereal exchange: before starting the cultivation and production, the price for goods and services of each actor is established and the surplus value created is divided equally among all actors; therefore, it is a transparent economic relationship.

2. The flour of the Stupinigi food chain has become a brand (La Filiera della farina di Stupingi - 'The supply chain of the flour of Stupinigi'), and this product is linked to recognising a specific territory; in fact, the Stupinigi food product obtained a territorial value of quality. It has been an element of change that farmers interiorised, moving their work towards production based on quality.

3. The decision to create a unique lot identifying the flour from Stupinigi has changed the way of thinking of farmers: while in the past they were uncomfortable to work with other producers, now they collaborate, and they see their work as a production of the territory, rather than just their own.

EDUCATION

PRACTICE

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The cooperative organises visits to cereal fields for the consumers to understand that their bread is produced 14 km away from Turin, creating a relationship based on trust from producer to client.

Moreover, since October 2019, Panacea has been part of a project called Non Di Solo Pane (Not Only Bread), having the objective to realise formative internships for disadvantaged people (migrants or those with psychological handicaps) to provide support in finding employment in the future. In 2020, the goal was successful, as 12 out of 15 of the participants were able to find work. This success demonstrates that if a good education is offered to people, any person can find a job.

<figure><img src="image_1070.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 9:** Working partners at Panacea bakery.</figcaption></figure>

Source: Isabella De Vecchi.

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Evaluation of the Economy of the Common Good. The project of Panacea and its food chain shows that it is possible to produce sustainable food for the nearby cities through a productive system being fair for both the people and for the environment (since they produce cereals with low chemical inputs and in biodiverse fields). In this context, Panacea started to carry out the Evaluation of the Economy of the Common Good that pays attention to the value, beyond the economic: the relation with the environment, amongst farmers and workers, and with clients and suppliers. The Evaluation of the Economy of the Common Good stimulates the business to give value to these aspects, helps bring consciousness to internal ethical issues, and is a communication instrument to make consumers understand the business's choices.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1071.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** A solid network in continuous evolution surrounds Panacea. For instance, the first fair trade bakeries opened in Turin have recently contacted Panacea to develop collaboration processes: Panacea collaborates with the bakery 'il Boschetto' and another one placed in Michelino sharing the doughs and giving them the possibility to use its oven every Sunday.

<figure><img src="image_1072.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** Workers having disadvantages recognised by law, and workers belonging to categories that hardly find jobs compose the social cooperative of this food chain: foreigners, people being more than 50-years-old or workers with mental difficulties are involved in a regular, enjoyable and healthy working environment.

<figure><img src="image_1073.png" /></figure>

**TRADITIONAL FOOD AND HERITAGE CONSERVATION:** The food chain promotes the project and its bread as a cultural project related to Italian tradition through meetings and courses in which it shares the value of a particular typology of cereal and cultivation. The bread has a solid cultural and symbolic meaning that facilitates consumers and producers' awareness.

<figure><img src="image_1074.png" /></figure>

**ENERGY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT:** Panacea created a network to reuse the bread surplus. Particularly, for two years, the partner project Repopp of the city of Turin has been part of Panacea network: this project delivers bread of the day before to disadvantaged families. Since last year, Biova Project has become a member of this collaboration by utilising the bread to produce beer. To complete the process against food waste, Panacea produces crackers with drafts of Biova Project beer production.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1075.png" /></figure>

**TRADITIONAL FOOD AND HERITAGE CONSERVATION:** This production chain has developed little promotion about the farming aspects because it has been a more widespread awareness-raising project, not limited to the agricultural field: consumers and producers demanded information about the creation of sustainable and healthy food production; accordingly, the food chain focused on the promotion of these aspects.
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MOVEMENT

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PRACTICE

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EDUCATION

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LIVING LAB

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SCIENCE

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terra
TERRA
PER UN'ECONOMIA SOLIDALE

https://www.terraterra.farm/
Facebook: @terraterraroma

INITIATIVE N°10 – TERRA TERRA

TERRA TERRA

**Terra Terra** is a grassroots movement initiated in 2004. It aims at promoting a model of food production that respects the environment, and cultural traditions and identities. This is a model intended to get consumers and producers closer, encouraging knowledge sharing and triggering virtuous processes of production quality as well as social relations. The activities are based on solidarity and mutual aid, which are fundamental principles of the association.

The association was founded in the context of Forte Prenestino, a historic social centre in Rome, which began to host farmer's markets organised by Terra Terra. The movement soon became a reference point for small farmers all around Rome, who had created, up until 2007, an informal collective that turned into Terra Terra. The association maintained the same horizontal decision-making approach that has characterised the movement since the beginning.

KEY FEATURES

* **Type of organisation:**

association of farmers, artisans and citizens

* **Main goals:** promoting a food production model that respects environment, traditions and cultural identities, a model able to get consumers and producers closer

* **Founded in:** 2004

* **Farming sectors:** arable crops, livestock/permanent grasslands, horticulture and permanent crops

* **Scale of the organisation:** regional

The association is open not only to farmers but also to artisans and citizens (co-producers or prosumers). To date, there are about fourty producing members. Its principles include the desire to build a great alliance between workers in urban areas and workers in rural areas, overcoming the divisions and roles imposed by the current society. In fact, despite the difficulty of connecting the urban and rural worlds, Terra Terra organises collective workdays, for example, during the grape harvest, pruning season or tomato transplants.

Terra Terra is strongly rooted in the territory, especially in the areas where the markets are held. In addition to Forte Prenestino, monthly markets are now held at Casale Garibaldi (Centoncelle neighbourhood) and Città dell'Utopia (Ostiense neighbourhood), while in the past the markets were also held in other areas like Pigneto neighbourhood and all areas within the first urban belt of Rome. Over time, the initiative has been characterised by the emergence of several territorial nodes outside Rome, namely different producers group living in different areas of the Lazio region who, on the account of their proximity, have set up additional farmers' markets. So the initiative does not only operate in Rome but also in other areas of the region.

The association does not receive external funding and is therefore self-financed by membership fees. The agricultural products offered at Terra Terra markets are not necessarily certified organic. Nevertheless, producers can only sell at the farmers' markets if they go through a participatory guarantee system. The farm visits carried out for the purposes of the guarantee also become an opportunity for collective growth, due to the sharing of knowledge and good practices between farms and farmers. This model, together with the practices used in the field (for instance drip irrigation, organic fertilisation, minimum
tillage, green manure etc.), is fully in line with some principles of agroecology and at the same time promotes the principles of food sovereignty. However, Terra Terra does not often use the term agroecology in its initiatives and prefers to speak of "peasant agriculture".

In 2010, Terra Terra was one of the subjects that led to the birth of the movement Genuino Clandestino - Communities fighting for food self-determination. This is a national movement composed by producers' and co-producers' territorial networks practicing and supporting peasant agriculture. In addition, they organise self-managed markets with the system of participatory guarantees, promoting transparency in both the production and distribution of food.

<figure><img src="image_1082.png" /><figcaption>Picture 10: Terra Terra market at Casale Garibaldi, Rome.</figcaption></figure>

Source: Terra Terra.

In the future, Terra Terra plans to bring together even more farmers and citizens with the aim of opening new farmers' markets and new territorial nodes in the region.

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The initiative has become a key reference point in the region of Rome. For several years it has promoted an alternative agricultural model to the agro-industrial one by organising farmers' markets, training sessions and workshops open to the citizens. Terra Terra experiments a model of economy that mutually engages producers and consumers to subvert food supply chains and enhance social relations as well as sensory and taste relations.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1083.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** The price of the products at the markets is determined directly by the farmers, in this way the production costs are really covered, while at the same time increasing consumer/ producer awareness of the issue. Furthermore, only local food or from Terra Terra's network of farmers can be sold at the markets.

<figure><img src="image_1084.png" /></figure>

**SOCIETY AND EQUITY:** The initiative uses a participatory and inclusive approach in its decision-making processes. Moreover, pursuing the principles of solidarity and mutualism, it positively relates with other local organisations active on these issues by carrying out joint initiatives.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1085.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** The participatory guarantee system, it is not easy to apply. It is a practice that needs to be carried out continuously to work properly. It is often difficult to put it into practice because of the lack of interest on the part of co-producers or the fact that producers are located far away in the region. In the latter case, there is an economic and time-related problem, since the producers have to reconcile their production activities with visits to the various farms, and they have to self-finance the travel expenses for the visits.
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MOVEMENT

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PRACTICE

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EDUCATION

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LIVING LAB

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SCIENCE

INITIATIVE N°11 – DIRITTI A SUD

<figure><img src="image_1091.png" /></figure>

Associazione
Diritti a Sud

https://www.dirittiasud.org

DIRITTI A SUD

Diritti a Sud is an activist organisation for the protection of workers by both carrying out social campaigns and producing environmentally and socially sustainable tomato sauce, promoting its consumption in Italy and Europe. The organisation was founded in 2014 in Nardò (Puglia), and now includes 15 activists divided into working groups that deal with the agroecological cultivation of tomatoes, and the creation and implementation of cultural projects aimed at raising awareness on the exploitation of workers, or administration and financial aspects.

Since 2015, on the account of the initial crowdfunding, tomatoes grown and harvested by Diritti a Sud, together with those of the Solidaria association (from Bari), are used to produce about 22.000 Sfruttazero jars per year. This zero-exploitation tomato sauce is packed into single bottles labeled with the face of one of the producers. The Sfruttazero sauce is directly sold to consumers, in farmers' markets, or in community trade networks outside the

large-scale retail channel, located in Italy or in other European countries. Sauce sale is the association's main source of income, even if they occasionally have obtained other forms of financial support, for example from the Banca Etica bank, as well as from the Waldensian Church and Young Project Awards of the Lush Spring Prize 2019.

Even if Diritti a Sud is not certified as organic producer, it applies agroecology to agriculture: organic soil management, the use of biofertilisers, avoiding pesticides, optimising the use of water, limiting mechanisation, and partly introducing the cultivation of local varieties. The term agroecology is explicitly used by this initiative, although it is mainly linked to agricultural production methods. Above all, it applies agroecology from a social point of view, given that the protection of workers' rights is at the heart of their activity by providing them a fair salary. The association engages in local production and is politically active at a regional, national and international level. It also shares technical means, labour power, experience, extension services, and markets with other local producers, such as Piccola Apicoltura Mediterranea, with which Diritti a Sud created the District of Small Farming Agriculture of the Piana di Nardò. Through the Italian anti-capitalist network Fuorimercato - Autogestione in Movimento (literally translated as "Off-market - Self-management on the go"), it has connections with international movements such as La Via Campesina and Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra.

In the near future, Diritti a Sud is planning to open a headquarter that hosts its own point of sale and a socio-union desk for workers. In addition, it aims to consolidate its network by implementing the sale of agricultural products in collaboration with the initiative of the Small Farming Agriculture District of the Piana di Nardò, with the future goal of creating a CSA.

KEY FEATURES

* **Type of organisation:** cultural association

* **Main goals:** political activism focused on the protection of fundamental workers' rights and sustainable agricultural production

* **Founded in:** 2014

* **Farming sector:** horticulture

* **Organisation scale:** local, regional, national, and international
## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

With its work, Diritti a Sud wants to demonstrate that producing healthy food that does not damage the environment or exploit workers is possible. This association proposes a concrete alternative to people's exploitation and natural resources, combining political commitment with economic sustainability and thus demonstrating tenacity and courage.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1092.png" /></figure>

### NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY

**MANAGEMENT:** Production of agroecological tomato sauce obtained by preserving soil fertility, reducing water waste, using self-produced biofertilisers, avoiding the use of chemical pesticides, and covering soil with mulch.

<figure><img src="image_1093.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** Promotion and development of collaborations between farmers, associations, and local networks. Direct relationship with consumers through the Participatory Guarantee Systems (locally quality assurance systems built on trust, social networks, and knowledge exchange, that certify producers based on active participation of stakeholders). Dissemination of its activities and projects relating to the issues of workers' rights in schools.

<figure><img src="image_1094.png" /></figure>

**GOVERNANCE:** Political activism on the protection of workers' rights and issues concerning the promotion of local food circuits.

<figure><img src="image_1095.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** Sales at alternative channels to the large-scale retail channel, such as farmers' markets and direct sales. Protection of workers with equal pay. Participation in solidarity economy networks.

<figure><img src="image_1096.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/ OR COLLECTIVE:** Economic sustainability and re-use of proceeds to finance the business. Use of non-monetary forms of exchange, such as time banking (a system of bartering various services for one another using labour-time as a unit of account).

<figure><img src="image_1097.png" /></figure>

**SOCIETY AND EQUITY:** Workers are part of the decision-making process. Everyone participates in all the associative activities, despite having their specialisation. Gender equality is the basis of associative principles. It includes workers who risk social exclusion, intending to integrate them.

<figure><img src="image_1098.png" /></figure>

**EDUCATION:** The association is responsible for raising awareness of children, young people and adults on the issues of exploitation of workers, sustainable agriculture and respect for the environment.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1099.png" /></figure>

### ENERGY AND WASTE

**MANAGEMENT:** This initiative has no possibility of using renewable energy. As tenants, they cannot make investments of this type on the land they cultivate. Even though it contradicts their ethical concerns, agricultural production is also sold to distant markets because sometimes the local community can not afford participation in local food chains. This might have an impact on energy and CO2 emissions.

<figure><img src="image_1100.png" /></figure>

**TRADITIONAL FOOD AND HERITAGE CONSERVATION:** Local varieties of plants cannot be used on a large scale because the lower productivity would make agricultural production economically unsustainable.

<figure><img src="image_1101.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 11:** Harvesting of tomatoes from the SfruttaZero project, Nardò (LE), South of Italy
Source: Alessandro Bollino.</figcaption></figure>
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PRACTICE

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SCIENCE

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LIVING LAB

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MOVEMENT

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EDUCATION

INITIATIVE N°12 – IL PAPAVERO ROSSO

SOCIETA' AGRICOLA SEMPLICE

<figure><img src="image_1107.png" /></figure>

www.ilpapaverorossocuneo.it

IL PAPAVERO ROSSO

Il Papavero Rosso is an organic Agricultural Society located in Confreira, in Cuneo, North-West of Italy. Beyond the organic certification, the project main goal is to focus on the development of a "closed" supply chain by producing internally most of the raw materials (old varieties of autumn-winter cereals) needed to make its bread.

Il Papavero Rosso started in 2014 from its necessity and will to create organic baked goods and, rather than purchasing a third party's flours, self-producing their products entirely so that the source and quality of raw materials and final products can be guaranteed. It started in 2012 by selecting old and local varieties of soft wheat, rye and old species of spelt (farro dicocco, farro monococco) in the field on the account of the collaboration with CRAB (Centre of Reference for Organic Agriculture of the Province of Turin, Italy) and UNISG (University of Gastronomic Sciences, Bra, Italy). Legally, the society of Il Papavero Rosso was founded

with four specific roles: the farmer, the sales & marketing expert, the baker and the technician miller. Currently, the organisational structure has partially changed: only two partners remained, and they are melding with a producer of organic pasta produced with local cereals, while the others takes care of the communication aspects of the society.

The partners of Il Papavero Rosso rent the land where their cereal is grown: some fields had already been organic, others were cultivated conventionally, and they passed through the 2 years of organic transition. The partners are experts in organic agriculture; as they work closely to the organic agricultural contractor who takes care of their cereal fields.

The main objective of Il Papavero Rosso's partners is to provide healthy food products. The environmental sustainability is a consequence of their agroecological farming practices, as is the crop rotation, the use of ancient and traditional seed varieties and no-tillage. Indeed, while they do not know or use this concept, they have ecological sensitivity, and some of their practices could be seen as agroecological.

Due to sourdough and old grains containing less gluten, Il Papavero Rosso produces a type of bread that is more digestible and is a product researched by consumers as a healthy food.

The work of Il Papavero Rosso is characterised by continuous experimentations in the fields matched with careful monitoring of each production step. The field experiments of (I) agroecological practices and (II) selection of old and local varieties of autumn-winter cereals have been carried out in collaboration with UNISG since 2012. In 2020, the experimental field of Il Papavero Rosso hosts more than 50 varieties of cereals.

KEY FEATURES

* **Type of organisation:** agricultural holding

* **Agroecological practices concerned:** biodiversity valorisation, low-use of external inputs

* **Founded in:** 2014

* **Leading organisation:** Il Papavero Rosso

* **Agricultural sector:** arable crops

* **Initiative size:** regional

SCIENCE

PRACTICE
This holding does not receive any external funds, and it has just recently achieved economic sustainability. It covers all the costs with only the sale of the final product, and it has reached stability between production and sale, offer and demand: the display of cereals, flours, bread and the sale are balanced. Il Papavero Rosso utilises diversified markets to diversify the source of income: the sale channels are Papavero Rosso store and local markets.

Il Papavero Rosso is involved in the "Rete in Grana" that united 20-25 farms to exchange knowledge, machinery, seeds and develop a common sale system. This network interests the entire food chain: from agricultural production to transformation and sale. The group has created a collective field of potatoes, and some producers utilise the fruit of the network to produce jams and other food. Moreover, the network opened a collective organic store in Caraglio (Cuneo, Italy).

<figure><img src="image_1108.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 12:** Experimental wheat field of Papavero Rosso. Source: Alice Fassò, 2021.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

The experiential processes of co-creating knowledge promoted and valorised by agroecology are central in the learning process of Il Papavero Rosso's partners. They learnt to protect biodiversity and reduce external input for cereal production on the account of the exchanges with researchers and the experiments on the field. Mainly, in the experimental field, they continuously research to add new cereal mixture to the production. They research cereal varieties suitable for the local climate, and they finalise the experimentation on the cereal production to develop a quality end product.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1109.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:**

Il Papavero Rosso utilises diversified markets to diversify the source of income: the sale channels include the Papavero Rosso store and local markets. Remarkably, they are organising the sale of products at organic markets in Turin together with the Rete in Grana.

<figure><img src="image_1110.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:**

The partners have recently managed to cover the costs with the sale of the final product; they have found a balance between production and sale, between demand and supply.

<figure><img src="image_1111.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:**

Through experiments of no-tillage, use of a mixture of ancient grains in the fields, and the reduction of external inputs.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1112.png" /></figure>

**EDUCATION:** Il Papavero Rosso started

only this year (2021) to communicate the value of the local, organic and agroecological production of their raw materials. Accordingly, the education of the consumers, matched with a system of transparency and communication of the product, is still an aspect under development.

<figure><img src="image_1113.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:**

To carry out the no-tillage, it would be necessary a roller-crimper machinery that Papavero Rosso does not own yet.

<figure><img src="image_1114.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:**

Il Papavero Rosso deals with an ongoing dilemma: it would like to produce a healthy product accessible to anyone; nevertheless, to stay on the market and guarantee the consumer, the prices cannot be 'popular prices' due to the costs of production and certification.
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PRACTICE

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MOVEMENT

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EDUCATION

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LIVING LAB

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SCIENCE

INITIATIVE N°13 – ARVAIA

arvaia
CITTADINI • COLTIVATORI • BIOLOGICI

https://www.arvaia.it

Facebook: @ArvaiaCSA - Instagram: @arvaia_csa

ARVAIA

Aravaia was one of the first example of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Italy. The agricultural model is focusing on solidarity, mutualism and accessibility to genuine and ethical food, building an open and inclusive community around the idea of healthy and local products. Their main aim is to create an alternative food production model where members finance the cultivation of organic vegetables, fruits and cereals and where they can be directly involved in the production and distribution processes.
Arvaia was founded as an Agricultural Cooperative Society in February 2013, in the Città Campagna Park of the municipal area of Villa Bernaroli, on the outskirts of Bologna (North of Italy). In 2015, with a public tender, the Municipality of Bologna assigned the entire park area (47 ha) to the cooperative's management.

About 10 ha are intended for production for the CSA, and another 27 ha are cultivated with alfalfa and cereals, which are sold to third parties. The remaining area is public, with green areas, bike trails and pedestrian paths. In the 2018-2019 growing season, 66.6 tons of products were distributed, 202 parts per week, 6.1 kg/part of vegetables and fruit with an average cost of 15.5 €/week per member.
There are 8 distribution points, scattered around the city of

Bologna, where members can pick up the agricultural products. Arvaia also allows non-members to buy fruits and vegetables directly on the farm and through a local market. The cultivation (about 75 species and varieties including vegetables, legumes, cereals and fruits) is financed through annual member's fees and defined, year by year, according to the cropping plan and the estimated costs. Members (about 200) can, anonymously, offer more or less than the fee, depending on their economic possibilities, still receiving the same weekly quantity of products. Choices about what and how to cultivate are made in a fully participatory way.

Members directly participate in the choices, decisions and work in Arvaia, pooling forces, ideas and resources, each according to their own possibilities. Arvaia relies on the shareholders' meeting, a board of directors (with legal liability), and a coordination group. 5 working groups manage daily activities in various sectors: economy and organisation, agriculture and public green, communication, events and training, operational groups, and distribution.

In Arvaia, 4-5 people work in farming activities, 1 in distribution and logistics, 1 in communication, and 1 president with administrative and representative functions. In addition to the annual membership fees and direct sales and market revenue, Arvaia is a beneficiary of European rural development funds as an organic agricultural cooperative.

KEY FEATURES

* Founded in: 2013

* Agroecological practices concerned: cover crop, diversified crop rotation, avoid the use of chemical inputs and use of organic matter (compost and manure).

* Farming sectors: CSA, horticulture, fruit growing, and cereals

* Type of organisation: cooperative

* Number of stakeholders involved: 200 users, 9 full entities, and three professional associates and clients.
Although Arvaia does not directly refer to agroecology or its practices, it follows organic regulations (as they are certified organic), promote an agricultural model free from synthetic chemicals with a high intensity of work rather than capital, and sustainable for the land and people. The products are seasonal but, through some unheated tunnels, the time window of certain crops is expanded. A drip irrigation system is used on vegetables to increase water use efficiency. To address the low level of soil organic matter, compost from local organic waste sources and manure from neighbouring livestock farms are applied. In addition, cover crops and green manure are used, together with optimal crop rotations to promote soil health. Another technical difficulty concerns the high presence of weeds, making weed control quite challenging, especially on vegetables grown in open fields. To promote biodiversity and ecological functions, semi-natural and natural areas within the agroecosystem have been left.

The ideas inspiring Arvaia can be fully framed in an agroecological perspective: a sustainable agricultural model, alternative to the industrial one, which produces healthy and local food accessible to all, based on relationships and solidarity. They apply a participatory approach for working and decision-making, and they have a vision on Food Sovereignty (inspired by the Declaration of Nyéléni - Mali, 2007). Workers and founders of Aravaia know very well the concept of agroecology. However, the desire to experiment and apply agroecological techniques has, in some cases, clashed with technical difficulties and with the need to immediately produce a certain amount of products to be supplied to the first financing members. This forced Arvaia, during the first few years of cultivation, to adopt intensive agricultural practices and to rely on a large amount of external inputs. However, year after year, the adoption of agroecological techniques increased, as well as the adoption of more sustainable sources of agronomic inputs.

Arvaia is also a Didactic Farm and organises several projects and courses for citizens and schools on sustainability, biodiversity, and horticulture, with a community garden open to citizens. The cooperative also organises cultural events and parties to engage the local community and have an additional revenue. From its beginning, Arvaia has tried to network with the dynamic ecosystem of realities interested in food issues of the territory of Bologna (solidarity purchasing groups, NGOs, local associations). It adheres to the network of Italian CSAs and the Regional Forum of Solidarity Economy (Emilia-Romagna). In addition, it is part of Campi Aperti, an association of producers and citizens that supports the food sovereignty and organic farming of the Bolognese territory, organising farmers' markets. Over the years, Arvaia has also participated in some research projects on the themes of organic, innovation, and the co-creation in short and local food supply chains.

<figure><img src="image_1120.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 13:** Market day of Campi Aperti on Saturday al Pratello (Bologna)- where Arvaia with other farmers and CSAs sell their products.
Source: Lucas Worsdell - "Raices de sobranía" - June 2021.</figcaption></figure>
## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Arvaia represents, as a CSA, an alternative agricultural model to the industrial one that seeks to move production and consumption towards short and local supply chains, connecting territory, food and people. The growing interest in the local production-consumption relationship (in Italy named "kilometro zero") and the rediscovery of rurality, especially in urban areas, makes CSAs like Arvaia an excellent example to create new job opportunities in the agricultural field, especially for young people, linking the city and the countryside.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1121.png" /></figure>

**SOCIETY AND EQUITY:** The main objective is to provide local and seasonal food through a CSA mechanism. The average price of the delivered products is agreed annually in a participatory way, based on budgeted expenses and crop plans.

<figure><img src="image_1122.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** The initiative is kept up due to the fees paid by the members who decide to finance the cultivation of the food they will consume during a year. All workers in Arvaia have the same type of contract. Arvaia was able to diversify its business, in addition to the simple distribution of products for member, an educational farm was developed as well as the maintenance of green areas in the park, organisation of events and direct sales and local market.

<figure><img src="image_1123.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:** Agronomic techniques follow the official organic certification rules. Efficient use of natural resources and agriculture with a high investment of human labour are promoted. Natural elements are promoted within the farm.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1124.png" /></figure>

**SOCIETY AND EQUITY:** There is a certain amount of competition with other forms of short food supply chains such as numerous solidary purchasing groups, home delivery services, agricultural markets. The turnover of members is high, about 10% every year. It is therefore necessary to constantly find new members to maintain the economic sustainability of the initiative.

<figure><img src="image_1125.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** Non-full-time workers with fixed-term contracts. Long-term economic sustainability is uncertain, as is the ability to provide more opportunities for stable employment in the agricultural sector, especially for young people.

<figure><img src="image_1126.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:** Application of agroecological techniques comes up against technical difficulties. To date, drinking water has been used for irrigation and the initiative face difficulty to find sufficient quantity of compost to increase soil fertility.
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PRACTICE

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MOVEMENT

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EDUCATION

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LIVING LAB

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SCIENCE

INITIATIVE N°14 – BIOLAND

BIOLAND

Bioland has its origins in the agricultural movements of the 1920s, which aimed at minimising the negative effects of increasingly industrialised, global and chemical-dependent food production. From the 1950s onwards, on-farm events to demonstrate the success of the production methods based on a closed, organic cycle were organised. In the late 1970s and 80s the association "Bioland" and the certification trademark Bioland were registered in Germany. In 1991 the Bioland association spread beyond the German borders with the foundation of "Bioland Südtirol" by local fruit growers. In 2021, Bioland Südtirol gained an official recognition as a cooperative in Italy. Today, "Bioland Südtirol" is the largest association of organic farming in South Tyrol, with more than 900 active local growers and more than 30 local food transformation companies or cooperatives.

The goal of Bioland is to help its member farmers to produce food of high quality by providing practical coaching and dedicated consulting on ways of utilising sustainable practices that promote biodiversity, soil fertility, animal welfare, and a caring use of the natural resources to ensure a sustainable agriculture and a liveable future. Bioland not only unites small farmers and local food transformers but through its trademark also facilitates marketing and public-awareness activities. All the actors united under the banner of Bioland, have to adhere to the Bioland rules, which are based on 7 principles:

1. Closed-cycle organic farming, with a strong focus on nutrient recycling

2. Promoting soil fertility, with a focus on increasing humus and improving soil structure by growing catch crops, ventilating the soil, etc.

3. Animal-friendly husbandry according to the motto "Quality instead of quantity" by ensuring high welfare standards, including avoiding over-bred animals and GMOs

4. Producing high quality food by avoiding the use of pesticide and GMOs

5. Promoting the biodiversity and in particular the use of diverse varieties/breeds for ethical reasons and for enhancing resilience of agriculture and landscapes

6. Safeguard the most important building blocks of the natural world, such as air water and soil by using them sparingly and sustainably, for example by avoiding the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and promoting shorter market chains

7. Safeguarding a liveable future for people by ensuring better income to farmers, creating more jobs in rural areas and offering better development opportunities.

Bioland

https://www.bioland-italia.it

KEY FEATURES

* **Agroecological practices concerned:** nutrient recycling, increase of soil fertility, animal welfare, avoidance of pesticides and GMO, promotion of biodiversity, ensuring better income for farmers and more (look at the 7 principles of Bioland described in the text)

* **Founded in:** 1991

* **Type of organisation:** farmers organisations

* **Farming sectors:** arable crops, livestock/permanent grasslands, permanent crops, and forestry

* **Members:** local organic farmers and market partners like butchers, bakers, beekeepers etc., which adhere to the "Bioland Guidelines"

* **Scale of the initiative:** regional
These principles are enforced by an independent inspection body to ensure that all farmers, food suppliers and processors associated with Bioland comply with these rules. They go beyond the EU's organic production protocol, for example by including aspects of developing and improving farmers' working conditions. Thus, although the term agroecology is not used directly, the initiative is fully aligned with the principles of agroecology as a practice (Wezel et al. 2009).

To achieve these goals, Bioland provides exhaustive advice and in-house consulting and favours the know-how exchange among its members by regularly organising democratically-run member meetings to exchange ideas, and discuss need, and current and potential solutions to problems. Moreover, Bioland frequently runs various consumer-awareness-raising campaigns and marketing activities. The products of Bioland members are marketed under the "Bioland" Trademark, which facilitates the commercialisation and valorisation of the products. The Trademark is well-established and recognised in Germany, but less among south Tyrolean consumers, which is why the initiative also created a dedicated Platform "Bio in Südtirol"<fnref n="166" /> to promote organic agriculture, raise awareness on the diversity of organic agriculture in South Tyrol and make every organic farm in South Tyrol known to the public.

The initiative also organises specialised courses, farm visits, praxis-workshops, informational events and discussion sessions on topics ranging from the correct usage of agricultural machinery, the practical application of pasture management in mountain territories, to the necessity of informing the consumers about the importance of locally and sustainably produced food. Specific agroecology courses are planned for the future, which are meant to provide concrete tools and basic knowledge for implementing this transition.

<figure><img src="image_1132.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 14:** Team Bioland, South Tyrol (Italy), 2021. Source: Bioland.</figcaption></figure>

<footnote n="166">¹⁶⁶ https://www.bioinsuedtirol.it</footnote>
## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Bioland is a network of people sharing common values and contributing to a more inclusive society, by developing and promoting ecologically, economically, and socially related alternatives to the conventional industry farming systems with the goal of producing high quality and healthy food in a sustainable way.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

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### NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:

The initiative sets minimum requirements for environmentally friendly agricultural production methods and actively encourages and consults on practices that increase biodiversity, including the creation of biodiversity-enhancing ecological structural elements such as dry-stone walls, hedges, flowering strips, etc. Synthetic fertilisers and pesticides are avoided by producers.

<figure><img src="image_1134.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** Members are support in their commercialisation and valorisation of products by promoting them under the "Bioland" Trademark.

<figure><img src="image_1135.png" /></figure>

**TRADITIONAL FOOD AND HERITAGE CONSERVATION:** Encourages safeguarding the traditional values, farming culture and strong connection with the land, which contributed to safeguarding ancient and intrinsically agroecological practices.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

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**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** Difficulty in economically accessing arable land, which has exorbitant prices in the area. Subsidies and incentives needed to promote and support the agroecological transition on farms are often too low. In some cases, the incentives themselves can also pose as obstacles for agroecological transition, as they are binding, meaning that any ecological elements (hedges, dry-stone walls...) can not be removed once erected.

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**COOPERATION:** Collaboration among stakeholders is often difficult because of the diversity of interests, resources, and priorities at stake.
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PRACTICE

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EDUCATION

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LIVING LAB

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SCIENCE

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MOVEMENT

INITIATIVE N°15 – LE GALLINE FELICI

LE GALLINE FELICI

Le Galline Felici is a group of farmers located in Sicily, aiming to establish a direct relationship with consumers through purchasing groups. The goal is to make consumers active and aware, transforming them into co-producers and co-funders, creating dynamics of solidarity and agricultural and social development projects, and building a solidary economy based on relationships.

Le Galline Felici was born in 2008 and owes its name to the actions of some of the founding members of saving hens from slaughterhouses at the end of the egg industry cycle. Initially made up of 10 farms, today the consortium has 40 plus, as well as many external suppliers, with 500 people involved in total. The member farms - mainly organic certified - produce cereals, flours, baked goods, fruits and vegetables, preserves, jams, honey, oil, and fish by applying principles and ideas from organic and regenerative agriculture, permaculture, and agroforestry.

The members of the consortium know their customers and stay in touch with them by hosting guided tours at their farms, participating in meetings of purchasing groups and attending the distribution points of G.A.S. (Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale, that means ethical purchasing groups). The consortium simply collects all the production coming from the member farmers to be distributed to the

purchasing groups. Each purchasing group is organised as an association of consumers that deals with the consortium through deputy members who are in charge of organising purchases, as well as passing information on the consortium to the consumers.

The consortium is also engaged in a co-production project with the "customers" of the consortium's network for the production of avocados. Since the current production is insufficient to satisfy the demand, the consortium asked its consumers to finance new avocado production facilities with a commitment to wait around 7 years (the time it takes for the plant to be productive) before receiving the product. This allowed small producers to have access to credit without guarantees and interest.

All decisions made by the consortium pass by the board of directors, the important ones in the assembly phase, the very important ones in the assembly phase with at least two thirds of the shareholders present. The consortium has a coordination group with representatives from each area (communication, procurement, logistics, processing) who meet every week. The boards of directors is open to all members also subject to oversight external to the consortium.

<figure><img src="image_1143.png" /></figure>

https://www.legallinefelici.bio/

KEY FEATURES

* **Agroecological practices concerned:** grassing of orchards, coexistence of cultivated areas and wooded areas, permanent meadows, crop associations, flower strips

* **Founded in:** 2008

* **Type of organisation:** consortium of producers

* **Farming sectors concerned:** cereal growing, horticulture, fruit growing, olive growing, fishing

* **Number of stakeholders involved:** around 40 farms plus 40 external suppliers

* **Scale of the initiative:** local, regional, national and international
A large part of their products are exported to European countries such as France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland and Germany. While the export to these counties is in constant rise, in Italy and in Sicily it is decreasing. This is mainly related to the competitiveness of less structured production companies that are born recently in Italy, but also the decrease of consumer awareness regarding local food.

Due to the growth of its network, over the years, Galline Felici farming products sales have increased from € 300,000 to about € 6,000,000. Ethical purchasing groups (G.A.S.), which include around 60,000 people, are its main buyers.

The initiative is also involved in projects about environmental protection, reforestation, and fighting desertification. They participate in the LIFE Desert Adapt project<fnref n="167" />, with one research subject based on the prickly pear as a pioneer plant capable of accelerating reforestation around 10 years ago. The consortium has recently hired a young agronomist (Roberto Di Stefano) trained in regenerative organic agriculture who deals with the training of older farmers who operates within a traditional approach. They also promote the creation of areas for bee nutrition on other farms. From a social point of view, they fight against illegal hiring and promote cultural projects to combat emigration from Sicily.

<figure><img src="image_1144.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 15:** Mobile chicken coop in prickly pear field - Visiting the farm "Caudarella" of Michele Russo et Vittoria Lo Dico - part of the Galline Felici Consortium.
Source: Angelica Marchetti, June 2021 https://www.legallinefelici.bio/fr_FR/michele-russo.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

On the account of its strong propensity to activate inclusion and networking processes, the Galline Felici consortium can access highly profitable sales channels compared to large-scale retail trade, allowing small production companies to obtain sales power and a production surplus value that would be hardly reached in other ways. The ethical approach of the consortium, linked to environmental development and social promotion projects has resulted in a strong sense of involvement and collaboration with consumers, who very often financially supported the consortium's entrepreneurial choices and the companies in difficult times.

<footnote n="167">¹⁶⁷ http://www.desert-adapt.it/index.php/en/</footnote>
## POSITIVE IMPACTS

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**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:** Use of techniques, practices, and approaches that preserve and promote soil fertility and avoid contamination of soil, water, and air.

<figure><img src="image_1146.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** Promotion and development of synergies and collaborations between producers and consumers. Direct relationship with consumers who sometimes become co-producers by financing the initial costs of agricultural activity.

<figure><img src="image_1147.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** Sale at alternative channels to large-scale distribution, such as farmers' markets and direct sales. The initiative attempts to provide access to a fairer remuneration for farmers.

<figure><img src="image_1148.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** The final price of agricultural products covers the costs of production. Promotion and use of local supply channels to support their development.

<figure><img src="image_1149.png" /></figure>

**SOCIETY AND EQUITY:** The decision-making process is horizontal and participatory.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

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**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** It is not always easy for the consortium to absorb the production of all the members, especially for some products that are widespread in all companies and therefore often in excess.

<figure><img src="image_1151.png" /></figure>

**GOVERNANCE:** Difficulty in meeting the need for an ever-greater commitment in decision-making, involvement, and internal communication processes in order not to risk distorting the identity of the consortium, given its continuous growth in terms of the number of companies involved.

<figure><img src="image_1152.png" /></figure>

**ENERGY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT:** Agricultural production is also sold to distant markets because the local community do not adsorb fully their product as they work on large volumes. This might have an impact on energy and CO2 emissions.

<figure><img src="image_1153.png" /></figure>

**COMMERCIALISATION IS LOCAL, FAIR AND/OR COLLECTIVE:** Locally, the initiative is less competitive than other unstructured realities that offer quality products at lower prices.
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PRACTICE

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MOVEMENT

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EDUCATION

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LIVING LAB

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SCIENCE

INITIATIVE N°16 – GIROLOMONI

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GIROLOMONI
DIGNITÀ ALLA TERRA!

www.girolomoni.it

Facebook: @ginogirolomoni

GIROLOMONI AGRICULTURAL
COOPERATIVE

The Girolomoni Agricultural Cooperative is a company specialising in the production of organic pasta using the durum wheat grown by its farmer members. In addition to the production of pasta, their main aim is to manage the entire production chain, from the cultivation of the wheat to the finished product, ensuring that farmers receive a fair income.

The history of the cooperative is deeply linked to the advent of organic farming in Italy, particularly in the Marche region (central Italy) where the initiative was born. Gino Girolomoni, one of the founders of the cooperative, was one of the forerunners of organic farming at a national level when there were still no regulations governing this agricultural model. The initiative was born towards the end of the 1970s, at the height of the Green Revolution. The area in which it was born was the inland areas of the province of Pesaro-Urbino, characterised, like most of central Italy, by a hilly terrain; this meant that mechanisation was more difficult at the time. Moreover, these were marginal areas far

from the main urban centres. Based on the above, the initiative decided to focus on organic production and the rediscovery of the values of rural traditions.

Over the years the initiative has grown and has been able to make significant investments on the account of the success of its flagship product. Today, the Girolomoni Agricultural Cooperative can count on total control over the production chain of its pasta. Over the years it has been able to invest, first in the construction of the pasta factory and recently in the construction of the mill. The latter was built on the account of funds from the Rural Development Plan (CAP), which the company can access since the social base of the company is composed by farmers. The cooperative's members are around 300 farms that each year deliver their wheat to be processed first into flour and then into pasta, so that the supply chain remains under the control of the farmers.

Today, more than 80% of the pasta is sold on the foreign market, demonstrating the strong attractiveness of the product. Due to the excellence of its product, the initiative has been able to gain an important niche in the market, which is why it is now able to sustain itself financially. Despite the expansion due to the great demand for the product on the market, the initiative remains strongly linked to the territory in which it was born: today 40 % of the wheat used comes from farms located in the province of Pesaro-Urbino, where the mill and pasta factory are also based. The percentage reaches 70 % if production is considered on a regional scale, while the remainder is produced in neighbouring regions or in some cases in southern Italy. The surface area of all the member farms of the cooperative reaches 30,000 hectares. Even if the term agroecology has not yet entered the lexicon of the initiative, it seems to embrace an agroecological approach through agroecology's three major pillars. This means not only aspects linked to organic production, but also support for science, as described below, and the ability to influence the

KEY FEATURES

• Agroecological practices

concerned: link to organic farming, cooperation and sharing of knowledge

• Founded in: 1977

• Type of organisation:

agricultural cooperative

• Farming sectors concerned:

arable crops

• Number of stakeholders

involved: around 300 farmers

• Scale of the initiative: regional and national
social dynamics of the area, such as avoiding the abandonment of marginal areas. The latter aspect could have had important negative consequences at an environmental but also cultural level.

The initiative carries out several collaborations on the territory both with local research bodies, such as the Marche Polytechnic University, and with other production realities that share the same vision gathered in "Con Marche Bio" (Consortium of organic producers of the Marche Region). Recently, on the account of the "Fondazione Seminare il Futuro" (Seeding

the future Foundation), the cooperative has contributed to the financing of research projects aimed at obtaining durum wheat varieties suitable for organic and biodynamic agriculture in Italy.

In the near future, through the promotion and development of new synergies between actors in the area, the initiative is also working towards the creation of a biodistrict on a regional scale, which would become the largest in Europe.

<figure><img src="image_1160.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 16:** Overview of the Girolomoni cooperative, from left: pasta factory, mill, silos and warehouses. Source: Girolomoni key informant.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Since its foundation, the aim of the initiative has been to restore dignity to the land and its rural communities. Even today, decades after its creation, the initiative continues to pursue the same mission, which has objectively proven successful. Therefore, the choice of pursuing these objectives proved to be effective and can be considered as an important element of success of the initiative. Moreover, the firm desire to maintain a social base made up of farmers remains one of the main strengths of the initiative which, year after year, continues to grow by bringing together more and more producers who are determined to abandon conventional agriculture.

## POSITIVE IMPACTS

<figure><img src="image_1161.png" /></figure>

**SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ECONOMICS:** The company own all the equipment needed to processing the agricultural raw material until the finished product reaches the market. In this way they operate in the best economic conditions and at the same time support the economy of the rural areas by making the equipment available as a resource.

<figure><img src="image_1162.png" /></figure>

**ENERGY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT:** The energy needed to power the pasta factory's drying plant is met through the use of local renewable sources. In particular, the biomass boiler is fuelled by wood from forests in the same area.

<figure><img src="image_1163.png" /></figure>

**COOPERATION:** As an agricultural cooperative, the approach to collaboration and networking between farmers themselves and other actors is fundamental. An important example of cooperation is the work that is leading to the creation of the biodistrict on a regional scale. In addition, the initiative has important collaborations with various research institutions.

## LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

<figure><img src="image_1164.png" /></figure>

**NATURAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT:**

Not all member farms have completed their transition to organic farming. In fact, especially for farms that have recently joined the cooperative, it is necessary to train and guide farmers towards a complete ecological transition that is also able to work in the best possible way on restoring soil fertility.
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# SANT'ANNA SCHOOL OF ADVANCED STUDIES, PISA - GROUP OF AGROECOLOGY (GOA)

Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna is an internationally renowned public university located in Pisa (central of Italy). Its core mission is to provide undergraduate BSc (Bachelor of Science) and MSc (Master of Science) courses to a small number of selected students, as well as to achieve post-graduate teaching and research. The school consists of eight institutes and research centers that focus their research on applied science. The Center of Plant Sciences hosts two PhD programmes that include agronomical projects; one of those is the International PhD programme in "Agrobiodiversity" which includes a high number of projects based on agroecological principles. Research areas include, for example, the application of agrobiodiversity-based solutions at the genetic level and the study of species and habitats to improve the performance and sustainable management of crops.

The Group of Agroecology (GOA) is a 10-unit research group integrated in the agronomical field laboratory called "Land Lab" within the Life Sciences Institute. This research group is among the national pioneers in the study of what is currently defined as 'agroecology'. In the beginning, the Land Lab contributed to the definition of "landscape agronomy", i.e. an approach to analyse agricultural landscapes placing the farm and farmer context

in a central position while studying how the socio-technical system interacts with management practices, resources and land patterns.

The Group of Agroecology's main area of research concerns the management of weeds using non-chemical but agronomical approaches, i.e. with a strong focus on the role of functional biodiversity and the introduction of an uptake of agroecological practices on farms.

The research group tries to collaborate with farmers in ways that are interesting/convenient and low-risk for them. In fact, the first approach is to discuss the needs and requirements that need to be met. Then, tests are carried out in a controlled environment (experimental fields at the Interdepartmental Centre for Agro-Environmental Research "Enrico Avanzi") involving the farmers and inviting them to participate in the analysis of the results. Finally, the tested agronomic technique is transferred and applied on the farms themselves, thus initiating the "most delicate phase since it risks compromise the farmer's income".

## KEY FEATURES

* **Main goals:** research on the role of functional biodiversity and introduction of agroecological practices on farms.

* **Main topics:** landscape agronomy, agroecology, functional biodiversity

* **Type of organisation:** public university

* **Type of actors involved:** 3 permanent technicians, 3-5 PhD students, 1 technologist, 2-3 research associates, 2 scholarship holders, and 3-4 profiles with temporary contracts.

* **Funded by:** Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna di Pisa
Over the years, the research group has expanded to include a team of 3 permanent technicians, 3-5 PhD students, 1 technologist, 2-3 research associates, 2 scholarship holders, and 3-4 profiles with temporary contracts. The Group of Agroecology has close collaborations with Italian and European universities.

<figure><img src="image_1170.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 17:** Weed sampling in Trentino region (North East Italy). Source: Stefano Carlesi – Group of Agroecology of Scuola Sant'Anna di Pisa.</figcaption></figure>

## WHAT CAN WE LEARN?

Over the last 20 years, a change in the way experimental research is conducted has been witnessed in some academic circles: from purely scientific studies conducted in a controlled environment, to field trials and participatory trials with farmers. The Land Lab researchers adopted this participatory approach right from the start, with nice medium and long term results. Initially, this direct interaction with stakeholders was not considered scientific enough but, given the various independent initiatives in several countries, a collective awareness was created that was also understood by policy-makers. This has been a fundamental aspect, since by succeeding in directing research policies towards the agroecological paradigm, the work carried out has had a real impact at territorial level.
<figure><img src="image_1171.png" /></figure>

SCIENCE

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PRACTICE

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LIVING LAB

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EDUCATION

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MOVEMENT

INITIATIVE N°18 – LAIMBURG RESEARCH CENTRE

<figure><img src="image_1176.png" /></figure>

Versuchszentrum
Centro di Sperimentazione
Research Centre

LAIMBURG

http://www.laimburg.it

# LAIMBURG RESEARCH CENTRE

Laimburg Research Centre (LRC), was founded in 1975 as a public body of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. It conducts applied research in agriculture and food processing and devotes the utmost attention to solving problems related to agricultural practices. LRC focus on concrete problems affecting South Tyrolean agriculture through a unique system of exchange with local stakeholders that has significantly expanded over the decades, and which manifests itself in targeted advisory board meetings with local players and enables the RCL to guarantee efficient results and solutions for stakeholders. These meetings ensure that local stakeholders have a - as active as possible - voice in the research activities of the RCL, and thus enable joint and efficient coordination on the use of available resources (personnel and funding).

The main objective of the LRC, as an applied research institute, is to provide a current response to practical needs. To achieve this, the orientation of research or experimental activities are geared towards finding solutions to real-life problems. LRC also engages associations and societies representing specific interest groups in the fields of food processing and agriculture, from the smallest farmers'

associations such as the Association of Herb Growers to the VOG (Consortium of South Tyrolean Fruit Grower's Cooperatives). This system has evolved continuously since the 1980s. For example, using questionnaires, it is possible to receive feedback from various stakeholders, on how the initiative can be further improved and optimised as well as receive guidelines on the potential further development.

Stakeholders in strong relationship with the LRC are as following: internal and external scientists, farmers, farmers' cooperatives, chambers of agriculture/farmers' associations, downstream industry (food and bio-based), and public authorities. The research program of the LRC is developed and updated yearly in collaboration with various stakeholders and multiple organisations in primary production, such as the South Tyrolean farmers' association and the various producer associations (14% of total representation in the area), organisations in the organic farming sector (5%), agricultural cooperatives (6%), associations and cooperatives in the wine sector (7%), representatives of the largest South Tyrolean food and drink companies (15%), representatives of other research institutions (5%), various departments of the South Tyrolean provincial administration (18%), representatives of agricultural schools (6%), extension services (2%), and others (22%). This process of setting up the research program consists of several topic-specific meetings and events with over 100 stakeholders, submitting their project proposals (between 80 and 100 proposals per year).

Subsequently, the decisions on which the proposed projects make it into the yearly program are made

## KEY FEATURES

* **Main goals:** applied research in agriculture and food processing with a specific focus on agricultural practices.

* **Type of organisation:** research centre

* **Founded in:** 1975

* **Main topics:** agroecological practice and production

* **Type of actors involved:** scientists, farmers, extension workers, farmers' cooperatives, chambers of agriculture/farmers' associations, downstream industry (food, bio-based) and public authorities

* **Funded by:** local governance
based on democratic terms. Normally, more than 60% of the proposals were accepted in the yearly program, while in recent years, between 60 and 70% of the proposals have been included. In addition, the researchers of LRC also introduce their own project proposals and the relevance of these projects is also discussed with the stakeholder representatives. Project topics or proposals by stakeholders include intercropping strawberries, mulching in apple orchards, biocontrol of apple pests, biochar, carbon sequestration and others.

To date, LRC does not directly use the term agroecology in its research, however, the initiative applies and supports multiple elements of agroecology in its research approach, such as knowledge co-creation, development of synergistic effects, participation, connectivity, soil health, input reduction and increasing functional biodiversity. An example of agroecological principles which have been directly applied are the Domino<fnref n="168" /> project which aims to improve the long-term sustainability and ecological footprint of intensive organic fruit orchards through different leverage: fertilisation, biodiversity management, etc. The LRC activities cover all crops and agricultural practices common in South Tyrol, with particular focus on arable crops and horticulture.

Last but not least, LRC also organises various training and refresher courses, including the very popular courses on transitioning to organic farming. In addition, it offers trainings through Thematic Networks EU-Projects. Thematic Networks are multi-actor projects which collect existing knowledge and best practices on a given theme to make it available in easily understandable formats for end users such as farmers, foresters, advisers and others. Examples of Laimburg Thematic Network Projects covering agroecological practices are BIOFRUITNET<fnref n="169" /> on organic fruit production and Inno4Grass<fnref n="170" /> on sustainable grazing systems.

<figure><img src="image_1177.png" /><figcaption>**Picture 18:** Laimburg Research Centre, South Tyrol (Italy), 2021. Source: Laimburg.</figcaption></figure>

<footnote n="168">¹⁶⁸ http://www.domino-coreorganic.eu/</footnote>

<footnote n="169">¹⁶⁹ https://biofruitnet.eu/</footnote>

<footnote n="170">¹⁷⁰ https://www.inno4grass.eu/en/</footnote>