The International Network of Eco-Regions - IN.N.E.R is pleased to present the Bio-district's model as a good practice on investments for healthy food systems.
Proponent
IN.N.E.R. – International Network of Eco Regions, established in 2014 and coordinating experiences of territorial development based on principles and methods of organic agriculture and agro-ecology, in Italy and abroad, encourages exchanges of experience and know-how among bio-districts and facilitates their communication and cooperation.
Date/Timeframe and location
2009-2017 - present and beyond, National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni, Province of Salerno, Campania Region, Italy. In this land, where the first bio-district was established, farmers, citizens and public administrators adopted a methodology to enhance organic food production signing a pact for sustainable management of local resources: a social innovation in governance.
Food product in these areas becomes cultural heritage and local identity mark with a social responsibility in management of natural and environmental resources of several sectors (agriculture, tourism, commerce, etc.).
A Bio-district adopts an integrated approach of sustainable development shared by different actors are involved: improvement quality of life, higher employment opportunities for local population and the reduction of population’s decrease in rural areas, the quality of agro-food productions and local livestock premises.
Main responsible entity
Bio-district Cilento Association, 10 San Silvestro Square, Ceraso Salerno, Italy. www.biodistretto.net
Nutrition context
The Bio-district Cilento is located in the area where the Mediterranean Diet was born. The ongoing nutritional transition is affecting also that area resulting in an increase of the rates of overweight and obesity. Scientific studies have recently shown that consumers who regularly consume organic food exhibit healthier dietary patterns, more adherent to the Mediterranean Diet, than consumers who do not buy organic at all or buy it occasionally. In the context of a Biodistrict, the combination in a sustainable food system both of the organic production and consumption ways and ethics is expected to provide sounded sustainable solutions for the present and future.
Key characteristics of the food system(s) considered
The preminent role of local actors in giving value to the territorial local resources alongside the logic of sustainability.
Building up of territorial pacts between producers and consumers as innovative and efficient answer to main development problems.
Valorisation of territorial traditional culture and related ancient know-how (cultural value).
Reinforcement of farms and businesses dedicated to organic productions can highly increase their income and encourage others to convert to organic produce (economic value).
Reduction of pesticides and polluting substances in agriculture besides promoting the culture of respect for the environment and landscape with also an important impact on human health and local tourism (environmental value).
Key characteristics of the investment made
The diversification of business activities according to the multifunctional paradigm, initially through local supply chain initiatives.
Strengthened "green public procurements" strategies and consolidation of local markets (GAS purchasing groups, school canteens and hospital meals, etc.) have valorised the production.
Widening of the organic producers and operators.
Private and public co-funding in the framework of Rural Integrated Project and Rural Development Program.
Key actors and stakeholders involved (including through south-south/triangular exchanges, if any)
AIAB Campania and the National Park providing financial support at the early stages of biodistrict tested the ground for the bio-district concept in the park area; Besides them the Cilento B-D involved different key actors along the way providing an enabling environment:
• producers, committed to produce according to the principles of organic farming and to develop short supply chain and multifunctional initiatives on their farms (didactic farms, farm tourism, social farming), contributed with marketing the bio-district territory
• consumers, supporting through their food and services purchases
• citizens who benefit of a better quality of life thanks to the adoption of green solutions in the bio-district area
• local institutions, committed to promote organic farming in the area, apply the principles of organic philosophy and sustainability to the management of urban green areas, waste, renewable energies,other eco-friendly technologies and collaborate with AIAB in the conversion to organic of public farmlands fostering social farming initiatives;
• operators of the agro-food supply chain can make profit from the concentration of organic producers in the territory; tourist operators qualify their offer through organic menus and trails;
• local training, research centres, associations and education actors developing an analytical framework for the classification and performance monitoring of bio-districts;
Today the agricultural department at the Campania Regional Authority is responsible for the Integrated Territorial Development Plan and the provision of multi-year financial support for organic extension services and IFOAM EU is the European umbrella organisation for organic food and farming facilitating triangular exchanges.
Key changes (intended and unintended) as a result of the investment/s
1.650 organic ha in total (including organic ha and those already in conversion); 50 enterprises adopted a multifunctional organisational (agricultural and zootechnical production besides didactic farms);
68 businesses with their own brand managing a direct on-line commercialization;
Mayors of 36 municipalities signatories of the Cilento Bio-district Pact involved in organic public canteens in the schools and green procurements; a consistent network of local organic businesses, producers, municipalities, eco-tourism operators, restaurants, consumers with frequent relations through the GAS - purchasing groups with a big impact on the whole territory; the constitution of few innovative leader- enterprises.
The establishment of other 26 "bio-districts" in other 18 Italian regions, while 23 new territories are underway.
Major milestones include the Mediterranean Diet within the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during 2010 and the introduction by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture of the agro-ecological approach and the biodistricts experiences in the National Action Plan for organic farming, approved in 2016. For the first time it has just been approved in Italy a unified law text on organic districts.
Challenges faced
In the Cilento Bio-district story patchy funding sources contribute to the lack of coherent communication campaigns, while limited amounts of local produce due to a low number of farms and their small size also affect the capacity to supply local public canteens. Other faced challenges:
Increasing quality of organic production through further use of research and innovation;
strengthening multilevel governance policies, participated by the citizens;
involving all territorial actors in measurements of undertaken processes that increase the consumer’s confidence, allow an easier access for small workers to the organic system, within rigorous contexts of products certification's rules;
implementing actions of international cooperation to spread of the Bio-districts' network.
Lessons/Key messages
Bio-districts facilitates funding strategies being a flexible structure but also stable organisation for the territorial governance and the local economy, with a methodological correspondence with the EU approach of local participatory development.
Value chain creation: alliances and networking for a quality production where consumers are directly involved.
The recognition of bio-districts as virtuous areas of agro-ecosystem interest in order to protect and enhance their establishment and development, through their promotion at national and regional institutional level.
A territorial label "Bio-district" with shared values, as tool of collective territorial promotion orients the management of bio-districts by enhancing transparency and social control.
Develop systems of services for innovation and continuous learning in collaboration with research centres and higher education institutions.
Dr. Kim Assael