EAST LOMBARDY APPLICATION A TASTE OF ITALY EUROPEAN REGION OF GASTRONOMY 2017 EAST LOMBARDY APPLICATION A TASTE OF ITALY Summary The context 4 Purpose and objectives of the application 10 Promoting a local system of sustainable food 10 Enhancing the gastronomic offer and TRAHIT SUA integrating it in tourist programs 14 QUEMQUE Organization 20 ACTIONS 23 VOLUPTAS Inclusion of citizens 23 Education and training 24 EACH ONE IS DRAWN Small and medium-sized enterprises 26 BY HIS OWN DELIGHT Sustainability and legacy 27 (Virgilio) Cross collaborations with other ERG partners and European scope projects 28 Marketing and communication plan 28 Assessment Process 30 Budget 30 CONTACTS European Region of Gastronomy 2017 THE CONTEXT Localization and local production features wine products -29 PDO products, 11 PGI, 168 traditional, A bird’s eye view of Lombardy shows three parallel zones: 25 DOC, DOCG and IGT - and of excellence in the field of a mountainous area in the north, plains in the south, catering recognized by national and international guides - 15 and a separate urbanized belt. The neighbouring slow-food inns and 23 Michelin-starred restaurants. The offer BERGAMO towns of Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, and Mantua is complemented by the presence of 8 wine and taste routes BRESCIA straddle these three zones. The resulting landscape is (out of a regional total of 12), which enable visitors to learn therefore varied, and includes the Orobie Alps, heavily about and benefit from these territories and their agricultural industrialized cities like Brescia and Bergamo as well as and wine products. agricultural areas of the Po Valley. For agriculture is not simply a matter of high-quality CREMONA Despite its minor relevance to the local economy when products, food or wine. It also refers to a cluster of local MANTUA compared to other production sectors, agriculture had history, culture and tradition. These are protected and significant territorial and social value in the past. Today it enhanced through museums of rural life and eco-museums. boasts numerous outstanding productions, supported by The area we address includes 39 and 24 respectively, which a wide range of high-quality gastronomic offerings. Just provide valuable insight into the agricultural life of the areas think, for instance, of the many certified agricultural and of Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona and Mantua. 4 East Lombardy Application | A TASTE OF ITALY European Region of Gastronomy 2017 5 EXPO AND THE MILAN CHARTER economy, because around the primary sector there In 2015 Milan will be hosting EXPO. Traditionally, revolve the whole agri-food processing industry, much the Expo revolves around a theme of universal of the economy of disadvantaged upland areas and the interest, which for 2015 is “Feeding the Planet, entire socio-economic system of rural areas. The total Energy for Life”. The theme provides ample scope number of farms in 2013 is 38,616. for interpretation around all aspects related to The agricultural sector shows strong dynamism, food, for instance undernourishment in some particularly in mountains and hills where landscape parts of the world, dietary education, or the GMO features and the need to differentiate products debate. At the heart of the issue is the right and services have favoured the development of to a healthy and adequate nutrition for all; the This offer, which is related to food and rural life and (zootechnics, horticulture and cereal production) are multifunctional agriculture. Farms and farmers elimination of hunger, thirst, infant mortality, and has great potential for tourism, is complementary to prevalent in the plains, other areas present a wide complement production with other area-based malnutrition - which affects 850 million people on the rich natural and cultural heritage these provinces range of local products, which however are produced services, such as gastronomic tourism, cultural the planet - and the eradication of pandemics. In have: consider, for example, the Brescia side of Lake in limited quantities. This supports a strong local activities, and education projects. They often interact the course of the Expo, the high-quality agri-food Garda, a popular tourist destination both nationally identity. with local educational institutions. This happens sector will have its high point. and internationally; Bergamo and its Upper Town, Agriculture accounts for a relatively small share in total especially in educational farms, quite prevalent even More than 140 countries are hosted; 20 million boasting museums and monuments, which thanks to employment and economics albeit with differences in hilly and mountainous areas. These are “farms visitors are expected; 10,000 volunteers are involved; the driving force of the nearby airport of Bergamo-Orio between each province. That is also generally true for that supplement their income with teaching and 23,6 billion euro of additional production will be al Serio (Caravaggio Airport) has over time become most industrialized and service-based regions. At the information activities, aimed at raising awareness of generated in Italy between 2012 and 2020 from this a destination for cultural tourism; and finally the rich same time, agriculture continues to have a key social the rural world and food chains and at promoting event; 191,200 units of additional jobs are expected. cultural areas of Cremona and Mantua, the former value in the region, and boasts numerous productions conscious and responsible consumption and the The Lombardy Expo has led local government linked to a music tradition heritage and the latter of excellence. Agriculture plays a more decisive role in protection of the environment.” bodies and regional organizations to focus UNESCO World Heritage City from 2008. the area of the Po valley, although we are still dealing So, there is already a number of institutionally intensely on the theme of “Feeding the planet” The morphological features of these provinces are with much lower figures than those recorded for the recognized presidia for spreading awareness on the and of food in general. Numerous conferences, also reflected in their socio-economic system. In manufacturing and service sectors. The agricultural theme of the project. Yet another form of agricultural events and school courses address this issue to the agricultural sector, while agro-industry firms sector maintains a strategic role in the Province’s activities are farm tourism activities (753 in 2013). prepare citizens, students and operators to this 6 East Lombardy Application | A TASTE OF ITALY European Region of Gastronomy 2017 7 key event for the area. An estimated 11,000 young the Millennium Goals conference in November. participants will be involved in Expo to offer The Charter of Milan is a charter of responsibility, of recreational and educational courses on food issues practical and measurable commitments aimed at to more than 2,000,000 students. Attention paid to citizens, governments, institutions, associations and food, in terms of sustainability, innovation, biodiversity businesses. The document can be freely endorsed is expected to increase significantly thanks to this by visitors who come to pavilions, and the underlying ongoing process. goal is to empower each individual on issues such During Expo 2015 and in the years to follow a as food waste, the right to food, product safety, and thorough investigation of crucial issues of the sustainable agriculture. All this in view of the update global food challenge is expected to take place. of the Millennium Goals of the United Nations, which The debate will culminate in the Charter of Milan, a this year will be replaced by the new Sustainable kind of Kyoto Protocol dedicated entirely to food, a Development Goals, with Italy and Expo as main tool that guides the discussion taking place during protagonists. A large team of experts contributed to all the initiatives and events in the six months of the drafting of the document. Work was broken down Expo (starting with the Italian Pavilion). It is a closing into 42 thematic groups, a set of good practices statement of the Universal Exhibition, to be delivered against food waste and for a healthy and sustainable to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, as a way nutrition; an agenda for equitable development; of setting international guidelines and providing a shared accountability in ensuring the fundamental contribution to the consultations to be held during right to food and water. 8 East Lombardy Application | A TASTE OF ITALY European Region of Gastronomy 2017 9 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES PROMOTING A LOCAL SYSTEM media attention, a growing number of citizens are our region boasts are many. Our application then In 2013 there were already over 70 of these groups in OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD becoming increasingly health conscious in their marks a further opportunity for connecting various the province of Bergamo, 50 in the province of Brescia; choice of food. There is also a mounting emphasis organizations involved in the strengthening of a 7 in the province of Cremona and 4 in the province of Sustainable systems related to food at the local, on environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable local production and consumption, Mantua. Consisting, as we know, of people who agree regional and global levels are essential for the future production and their effects on the region. supporting and spreading a shared goal based on the to come together to purchase and redistribute food of us all. The ERG Award aims to spark