17/11/2011

AGRIPIAZZA - Forum for sustainable agriculture in environmental and economic terms

European agriculture is on the eve of epoch-making change: as of 2014, it will be compulsory for all European agricultural companies to apply integrated agriculture, a more eco-compatible approach to agricultural activity.

This is envisaged by Directive 2009/128/CE that defines outlines for EU action to ensure sustainable use of phyto-sanitary products with the primary objective of implementing sustainable use of agro-pharmaceuticals by reducing related risks and impacts on human health and the environment and promoting the use of integrated defence and various other approaches or techniques, such as non-chemical alternatives.

The concept of sustainable consumption and production has been defined as “an holistic approach to minimise negative environmental impacts arising from society's production systems and consumption. Sustainable consumption and production seek to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of products, services and investments in order to meet the needs of society without compromising the capacitỳ of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The concept embraces the three pillars of sustainability: economy, society and environment.

- Economic sustainability: The agricultural process production must respond to criteria of efficiency and profitability in agricultural production (the operations performed must be economically justifiable) and must sustain production economy

- Environmental sustainability: integrated defence, valorisation of natural resources and eco-system adjustment mechanisms ensure less impact on the environment and ensure co-existence between agriculture and territory

- Social sustainability: one must ensure high standards of food safety and health safeguards through the correct use of chemical media and the control of pathogens that are potentially harmful to health

Fieragricola has been home since 2004 to Agripiazza, the exhibition focusing on innovation in technical products for agriculture organised in collaboration with Image Line, which has always dedicated significant space to technical analysis and the divulgation of new technological solutions for agriculture through conventions and informative meetings open to the public and also published via internet.

In this scenario, VeronaFiere and Image Line have decided, for the 2012 edition, to employ even more resources for the communication of information about sustainable agriculture, on the strength of the role as a catalyser that Agripiazza has enjoyed in previous editions for all players in the sector and the media impact of the exhibition event.

The forum on sustainable agriculture in environmental and economic terms is therefore structured around a series of technical-informative meetings involving leading experts in every specific sphere of agricultural sustainability; the objective is to “outline”, in a direct and informative manner, how agriculture is changing and the economic, environmental and social role that sustainable innovation offers the sector.

Agripiazza will also host a TV studio where sector specialists and journalists will analyse the various topics centred on sustainable agriculture.

The topics up for discussion are as follows and will be promoted thanks to a mix of real and virtual means that exploit all information communication channels to the full: