Agriculture Production and Food Security in Epidemic Era:

the point of view of the School of Agriculture and veterinary medicine of the University of Padova

The text is taken from a paper authored by the Directors of the four Departments (DAFNAE (www.dafnae.unipd.it), TESAF (www.tesaf.unipd.it), MAPS (www.maps.unipd.it), BCA (www.bca.unipd.it)) belonging to the School of Agriculture Science, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Padua (https://www.unipd.it/en/).

On the base of a multidisciplinary analysis of the impact that COVID-19 had on the Italian agri-food sector during the national lockdown the it appears clearly that this unprecedented economic crisis could be a turning point to deal with the overall sustainability of agricultural systems and foodstuffs in the frame of the forthcoming European Green Deal. The first quarter of pandemic emergency has registered a number of unprecedented consequences on the primary sector, with dramatic impacts on local agricultural productions and their food derivatives, including satellite activities. As tightly associated with the primary sector, the typical food and wine exports as well as the local environment tourism segments were also deeply affected if not nullified by the pandemic, in spite of their old and deep roots into the cultural and historical heritage of the country. 

A plan based on strategic lines and research networks for an efficient socio-economic and territorial restart, and a faster transition to sustainability in the frame of a circular bio-economy management should be adopted. There is an urgent need of investments in research and development concerning agriculture, in terms not only a fruitful penetration of the agro-tech for a next-generation agri-food era, but also a deeper attention to the natural and environmental resources, including forestry. As for the rest of Europe, Italy needs actions to expand knowledge and strengthen research applied to technology transfer for innovation activities aimed at providing solutions for a climate neutral and resilient society, with specific reference to the primary production that have to ensure food security and nutrition quality.

Italy is experiencing a national critical time and have a common feeling that, if appropriate and responsible decisions were taken along with targeted actions, this current crisis could become an epochal turning point for one of the strategic sectors of the country-system, the agri-food lato sensu. From the University of Padova School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine viewpoint, Italy needs a new vision and an immediate action by all stakeholders, so as to transform agriculture into a great opportunity, tracing its fate rather than considering it as a sector to be abandoned to its ongoing decline. All the structures and infrastructures of this system, including production associations and enterprises, political and economic institutions, but also scientific and cultural hubs, both public and private, will have to communicate better with each other and cooperate in a more efficient and coordinated way. All of this will support the national activities and improve international competitiveness of agriculture, from the agro-tech innovations to the trade of agri-food products. 

In general, the most significant challenge for agriculture is mainly increasing crop productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability: we are confident that obtaining higher yields with better quality on increasingly smaller spaces (“producing more with less”) is possible, as demonstrated by the experience of other countries. It is time for Italy to invest deeply in applied research and technology transfer for launching a national program for sustainable agriculture systems. More specifically, the crop plant sector urgently demands to develop new varieties, resistant or tolerant to climate changes, adaptable to marginal lands, and suitable to low inputs. The new breeding techniques, including gene and genome editing platforms, combined with precision agriculture under sustainable farming systems are the answer to this specific need. Within the perspective of the Agriculture 4.0, and the advent of digital models for monitoring soil, crops, and livestock using internet of things, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, it is also evident that the well-being of farmed animals must necessarily fall into the so-called “One Health,” by means of a co-integrated vision of human, animal, and environmental health. The logic of environmental sustainability and circular bio-economy as well as attainment of social equality and respect for ethnic hybridity of both agricultural workers, farmers, and breeders may become the new paradigms of consumption, in addition to the no longer deferred need for the recovery of the rural and cultural traditions of the territories. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of a robust primary sector and resilient agri-food system that function in all circumstances, being capable of ensuring access to a sufficient supply of affordable food for citizens. The “Farm to Fork” strategy is actually at the heart of the European Green Deal aiming to make food production systems fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly. National agricultural systems cannot be resilient to crises such as the current pandemic if they are not sustainable. Italy needs to redesign our food systems which today account for nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, consume large amounts of natural resources, result in biodiversity loss and negative health impacts (due to both under- and over-nutrition) and do not allow fair economic returns and livelihoods for all actors, in particular for producers of the primary sector. Putting our agri-food systems on a sustainable path also brings new opportunities for operators in the food value chain and new guarantees for consumers. New technologies and scientific discoveries, combined with increasing public awareness and demand for sustainable food, will benefit all stakeholders. 

In conclusion, it is possible to suggest, in order to guaranty food security, both locally and globally, to focus on applied research and development, and technology transfer, the so called university “Third Mission,” an area where the role of academia may be crucial and could add not only innovation and valorisation to the production chains of local enterprises, but also support the establishment of business networks in specific production segments. It is also recommend an intervention from the institutions for a substantial improvement of the public-private relationship, also through better State-Regions communication and coordination of activities. The expectation is that science and culture return to play a central and acknowledged role in national society, as their main actors are capable of making a pivotal contribution to renew and restart the whole primary sector and agri-food industry, addressing also social and environmental issues, and so accelerating the transition to sustainability, in the frame of the forthcoming European Green Deal.