“The first risk for agriculture is homologation, which leads to the destruction of biodiversity. The risk is to speak of health as a path towards a universal diet. The great risk, not conspiratorial, but real, is that food is replaced by a pill and a laboratory product. We must avoid this by creating a system, providing training and information and above all by making it clear that quality food can be produced while protecting the environment, biodiversity, nature and the world in which we live ". This was stated by the Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Stefano Patuanelli, speaking today at the "Nature in Mind" International Conference organized in Rome by the Forestry, Environmental and Agri-food Unit Command of the Carabinieri in collaboration with Coldiretti on the occasion of the World Day of Biodiversity.
"I believe that food has a very close link with democracy", added the Minister who underlined: "The reduction in food production capacities is a restriction of the democratic field on which we absolutely cannot be reticent".
The Minister also recalled the fundamental role played by food education. “The value of food every day at school must be explained to the children. Civic education is also nutritional education ”.
"The defense of the biodiversity heritage is a strong antidote for the harmonious development of the territories, the fertility of the soils, the healthiness of the air, the rational use of water and, more generally, for the development of the productivity of the agricultural system national and safety of the Italian food sector in terms of quality and health ", said Patuanelli also speaking of the leading role played by the excellent products of our country," a strong contrast to that standardization that leads to the destruction of biodiversity ".