Papers by cinzia scaffidi
Ambienta: La revista del Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, 2013
Development, Dec 1, 2014
Traditional agriculture is sustainable because it takes into account a number of issues, needs, l... more Traditional agriculture is sustainable because it takes into account a number of issues, needs, levels and actors. Not only humans. Doing it this way it ends up being healthy and nutritious for people too.
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics, 2015
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA or the Trea... more The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA or the Treaty) stands as a tool of governance of plant resources that is, ‘the genetic material of plant origin with effective or potential value for food and agriculture’ designed to respond at a global level to the objectives of economic solidarity and environmental sustainability. At first glance it could seem to be a matter between governments and farmers: in fact the Treaty, after stating in the Preamble that the contracting parties are convinced of the special nature of plant genetic resources, goes on to recognize that these resources are ‘the raw material indispensable for crop genetic improvement, whether by means of farmers’ selection, classical plant breeding or modern biotechnologies’, affirming that ‘the past, present and future contributions of farmers in all regions of the world, particularly those in centres of origin and diversity, in conserving, improving and making available thes...
and 15.5% are obese (European Commission, 2010). Yet 90 million tonnes of food a year-the equival... more and 15.5% are obese (European Commission, 2010). Yet 90 million tonnes of food a year-the equivalent of about 179 kg per capita-goes to waste (Eurostat, 2010). This scenario simply replicates, on a regional scale, a world panorama in which, of a total population of 7 billion people, 925 million are undernourished (FAO, 2010), 1.5 billion adults are overweight (OMS, 2008) and 1.3 billion tons of food, the equivalent of about 1/3 of world production, are wasted every year (FAO, 2011). This situation is unacceptable and represents one of the most serious injustices perpetrated in the contemporary world. The European Union has to come up with a concrete response at Community level to the immorality of the model outlined aboveand help do so at global level too. It is no longer tolerable that, in the name of agroindustrial profit and the socioeconomic model it is part of, conditions of extreme inequality are being perpetuated and that the health of people and the environment seriously harmed. Unemployment and the drop in jobs in the agriculture sector Another worrying phenomenon determined, to some extent, by agricultural policies is the drop in employment in the agriculture sector. The drive towards higher and higher productivity, based solely on increases in productive factors other than human labour, has caused a swingeing decrease in employment. The 27-State European union has lost 3.7 million jobs (a quarter of the active work force) in the agriculture sector in the space of nine years (European Commission, 2010). In the period from 1975 to 2005, countries fundamental to European agriculture, such as Italy, France and Germany, saw the percentage of their workforce engaged in the sector drop annually by 2,3%, 2,8% and 3% respectively (European Commission, 2010). In France, the percentage of people employed in the sector has fallen from 30% to 3% over the last 50 years. In 2007, with Bulgaria and Romania's admission to the EU, the active farming population numbered about 14 million, whereas today, just a few years on, it has fallen to 11 million. One significant statistic is that of the size of firms, which are now tending to be larger with a high concentration of capital and land. Since 1980 they have grown by an average of 66%. Finally, as a direct consequence of the liberalisation of the farming market and the race to lower production costs, production is being concentrated where costs are lowest. At present, 50% of the farming land used and 10% of EU production is concentrated in just three.
Food Policies and Sustainability, 2010
This is the output of an online course held by the university of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo... more This is the output of an online course held by the university of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo (Italy). Students and professors have worked together in profiling which kind of policies could be implemented in the fields of: Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Energy and Systemic Production, Traditional Knowledge, Gender Issues and Immaterial Values, Social Systems and Transformation, Goods, Common Resources and Exchanges, Law, Rights and Policies, Pleasure and Well-being, Sustainable Education.
Ambienta La Revista Del Ministerio De Medio Ambiente, 2013
Derecho a La Alimentacion Y Soberania Alimentaria 2008 Isbn 978 84 7801 927 4 Pags 345 350, 2008
Typical, traditional and local products are developing in Italy with different definition and man... more Typical, traditional and local products are developing in Italy with different definition and many approach. Slow Food is an international movement acting to defend biodiversity in food supply, spread taste education and connect producers of excellent foods with co-producers through events and initiatives. One of these are the Presidia, specific territorial and local projects, which have grown up constantly throughout the years: they are 177 in Italy and 129 in the rest of the world, 306 in total. Slow Food Presidia can be seen as an example of a alternative food system that actively involves the all society: farmers, producers, consumers, restaurants and public institutions at local levels. In order to assess sustainability of agro-food systems a five-dimension framework (quality, economic, social, environment and cultural) are presented. Finally the effects of Presidia are analysed and evaluated presenting research analysis and one or two case studies specific to each five issues....
Development, 2014
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Papers by cinzia scaffidi