Foto di Frank Holleman su Unsplash

Veneto’s agrifood sector, one of the pillars of the regional economy, is facing complex challenges related to climate change, agricultural policies, social dynamics and environmental impacts. Food production is increasingly fragmented, with territorial consequences such as high greenhouse gas production, food-related health problems, food waste, and changing market demand.

In this context, farmers have little influence on the food system, and consumers are increasingly distant from the farmer and need help accessing products from healthy and fair agriculture. Rethinking the supply chain to make it more accessible, sustainable, and fair becomes crucial.

The Coltiva Padova project, funded by the Veneto Region, aims to create a Working Group (GO) to develop a sustainable, accessible and fair Food Policy for Padua. This project aims to lay the groundwork for building a city system and policy capable of bringing farmers and citizens together and improving the sustainability of the food supply chain. It will do this through actions that already look ahead to a later phase of the project (Phase 2) in which innovative actions will be implemented aimed at:

• Promote cultural change: Strengthen the connection between local producers and consumers, promote the short supply chain, and encourage the consumption of km0 products.
• Enhance local resources: Enhance Padua’s social, cultural, natural, and economic capital to generate new models of agroecological production.
•  Create new forms of governance: define new management models for the food system that are sustainable and inclusive, involving citizens, farmers and institutions.

In this first phase, the project includes several activities to map the current situation and identify innovative solutions. These include:

• Analysis of the agricultural system in Padua: data collection, identification of issues specific to the Padua system, and benchmarking of best practices at the local, national and European levels to identify effective strategies.
• Community involvement: organizing focus groups and participatory meetings to involve citizens, public agencies, and institution representatives in defining problems and solutions.
• Co-design of innovative solutions: shared design workshops to develop new ideas that can be tested in the project’s next phase.
• Local cooperation: creating and strengthening synergies between producers, local authorities, and citizens through information and discussion events.
• Drafting an activity plan to be submitted to the region for implementing Phase 2 of the project.

Etifor is the project’s lead partner, coordinating all activities, guiding the participatory process, and organizing co-design events open to citizens. With its expertise, Etifor is committed to conducting comparative studies on best food practices and promoting synergies to build a more resilient and sustainable food system.

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Project title: “Cibo, salute e accessibilità. Proposte in Campo” AgrifPD

Initiative funded by the Rural Development Complement for Veneto 2023-2027. Body responsible for information: Veneto Region. Regional managing authority: Regione del Veneto – Direzione AdG FEASR Bonifica e Irrigazione.