IYP Secretariat presents year’s achievements at Slow Food event in Viterbo

This past June, FAO participated in the fifth edition of the Slow Food Village Festival in Viterbo, Italy (23 June - 2 July 2017). The purpose of this event was to highlight the outcomes and activities of the International Year of Pulses (IYP) 2016.

What is Slow Food International?

Present in 160 countries, Slow Food International is a non-profit association established in 1986 by Carlo Petrini. It promotes a life style which goes beyond the food per-se and emphasizes a full understanding of the origin, culture and traditions behind each type of food.   

IYP Secretariat involvement in the Slow Food Festival

The festival took place in the centre of Viterbo in one of the city’s main squares and consisted of 150 events, including cooking demonstrations, presentations, debates and food tastings. An estimated 500 000 people attended the festival.

The IYP Secretariat, along with other key stakeholders, such as chefs, mayors and pulses producers, highlighted the fundamental role of pulses in balanced and healthy diets and their contribution to soil fertility and the environment.

During the Pulses Chat Show, the Secretariat presented the IYP’s overall results and its main activities, including the Regional and Global Dialogues and awareness raising campaigns.  

In addition, they brought to the public’s attention some of the main IYP products: (i) two food composition databases on pulses – launched in 2017, (ii) a report on the world pulses economy and (iii) a publication on the use of pulses by-products as animal feed – both the report and the publication will be launched soon.

This was followed by a presentation on the FAO publication: Pulses: Nutritious seeds for a sustainable future. The book features helpful tips for cooking pulses and recipes by celebrity chefs from all around the world.

The festival was very successful. The audience participated actively in the discussion and showed interest in knowing more about pulses and IYP 2016.