The fourth edition of the Rome Capital Agricultural Conference, titled ‘Rome Produces: Food, Work, Market’, took place on May 30th. This event renews a commitment started in 1978 by Mayor Argan and revitalized in 2022 by the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Waste Cycle. It brought together institutions, representatives from the agricultural and business sectors, united by a common goal: to enhance the Roman agri-food system as a lever for sustainable, occupational, and cultural development.
After the institutional greetings from the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, the Regional Agriculture Councillor Giancarlo Righini, and the Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan City, Pierluigi Sanna, four thematic panels followed with the participation of prominent sector representatives. Among them was Antonella Rizzato, CEO of Grande Impero, a leading artisanal bakery company.
‘We have been committed for over twenty years to a local, sustainable, and transparent agricultural system, collaborating with local producers and investing in short supply chains and regenerative practices,’ stated Antonella Rizzato during her speech. ‘Food processing companies have a duty to support agriculture with concrete choices, not just words. For this reason, we welcome Rome Capital’s policies supporting local supply chains. The future of agriculture is built every day and is a shared responsibility between institutions, businesses, and citizens.’
Her contribution highlighted the importance of a structural collaboration between the productive world and public administration to ensure a truly sustainable agri-food transition, rooted in the territories and capable of generating value throughout the supply chain.
‘Roman agriculture is not a residual fact of the past,’ emphasized Sabrina Alfonsi, Councillor for Agriculture, Environment, and Waste Cycle, ‘but a living and evolving reality, involving hundreds of companies and cooperatives. Starting from this awareness, we have built a shared path with the main sector organizations, such as C.I.A., Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Legacoop, and Slow Food, to structure an urban Food Policy based on sustainability and social inclusion.’
Among the central themes addressed during the conference: access to land through public tenders, the growing role of urban gardens, the promotion of short supply chains, and the strengthening of the Food Council, a participatory body that today brings together over 150 sector entities.
In addition to Antonella Rizzato, other speakers included Fabio Ciconte (President of the Rome Food Council), Giammarco Palmieri (President of the Rome Capital Environment Commission), Dominga Cotarella (President of Terranostra Campagna Amica), Simona Limentani (CEO of Zolle), Angelo Frascarelli (University of Perugia), Massimo Fiorio (Coordinator of the Metropolitan City Food Table), Giacomo Lepri (President of Cooperativa Co.r.ag.gio), and Roberto Guadagnini (Director of Centrale del Latte di Roma).
The 2024 edition of the Agricultural Conference represented a strategic moment of discussion and planning, aimed at strengthening a local food system that is inclusive, fair, resilient, and future-oriented.
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