Italy plans to invest 3 billion euros (3.06 billion U.S. dollars) to transition 25% of the country’s agricultural land to organic by 2027.
The decision to transition the land to organic was spurred by a new study on sustainable strategies to limit the spread of pests and disease in Italy. The study found that organic vegetable farms can cut phytosanitary treatments by 40% compared to conventional farms.
The OrtoAmbiente study, which was financed by the northern Italian region Emilia-Romagna, measured the beneficial impact of an integrated organic approach to crop defense over the last three years.
Researchers at the University of Bologna, who conducted the study, have shown that applying best practices, such as fostering biodiversity, can significantly reduce the use of chemicals and production costs.
The study’s results confirmed the decision by the Italian government and farmer associations to transition more land to organic agriculture.
“Organic farming is the strategic resource we need,” said Italy’s Minister of Agriculture Stefano Patuanelli during a presentation in Rome dedicated to the organic expansion strategy.
The massive transition will receive €3 billion in funding from the national strategic plan to implement the Common Agricultural Policy, the recovery and resilience plan, and the recently approved law on organic agriculture.
Italy’s organic transition plan is in line with the European Union’s goal for organic agriculture. Under its Farm to Fork strategy, the European Union plans to convert 25 percent of all agricultural land to organic practices by 2030.
Source: Olive Oil Times
To view source article, visit:
Organic & Non-GMO Insights October 2022
