Agriculture, innovation and tourism. Exchange visits in Liguria with the European project INN-Pratica
On 20 and 21 May, delegations from France and Italy come to study the Ligurian experience
One year after the launch of the European Interreg Marittimo project “INN-Pratica – Cross-border community of practice for innovation in agriculture and the ecological and digital transition”, Liguria will host in the coming days a study visit bringing a cross-border delegation from France and Italy to see the most innovative and virtuous models in its agricultural landscape and primary sector.
On 20 and 21 May, agronomists, researchers, institutional representatives, trade associations and companies will meet in Genoa and make targeted visits to several locations, in order to share experiences, innovations and good practice, so as to manage the impact of primary sector activities more efficiently and sustainably, optimise resources and preserve the area’s biodiversity, build a common strategy and share successful cross-border experiences, giving economic and tourism value to rural areas.
The INN-Pratica project, funded by the INTERREG Marittimo France-Italy 2021-2027 programme, covers all five territories of the cooperation area (Liguria, Tuscany, Corsica, Var/Région Sud, Sardinia) with the aim of identifying successful local experiences and spreading them more widely.
This is possible thanks to the valuable work of the project’s many partners: Regione Liguria, D.A.F.N.E. Soc. Coop Impresa sociale, University of Sassari – Department of Agricultural Sciences (project lead), Chambre de Commerce Italienne pour la France de Marseille, Office du Développement Agricole et Rural de Corse, Regione Toscana, Laore Sardegna, Confederazione italiana agricoltori – Toscana.
The project’s flagship, to which the network of international partners is paying close attention, is the creation of a Cross-border Community of Practice to make dialogue and constant communication easier between businesses, institutions and the research world: a physical and virtual “place” where those involved can exchange experiences, promote innovations and adopt shared strategies, producing common, organised knowledge freely available to all.
The study visit programme includes, on 20 May, an event at the Genova Blue District for the National Day of Biodiversity of Agricultural and Food Interest, followed by visits to a series of centres of excellence in Val Polcevera: the Campomorone coworking centre, the “il Mezzano” farm, the land of the “Campora” trattoria and the Borghi Sparsi di Serra refuge in Serra Riccò.
On 21 May the Italian-French delegation will visit the Centre for Agricultural Experimentation and Assistance – CeRSAA in Albenga, where all the operational areas of the different aspects of agricultural innovation will be presented: the testing centre, the plant pathology laboratory, the services dedicated to trialling innovative products and tools, the validation of innovations developed through research projects, and the work of the “Made in Quality” inspection and certification body.
The visits will continue at the “I formaggi del boschetto” farm in Albenga, to learn about retro-innovation around the Brigasca sheep, and in Montegrosso Pian Latte, to discover “le raviore and the white cuisine of the alpine pasture”, before concluding at the Ligurian Alps Park, in the municipality of Mendatica, with a meeting devoted to innovation in tourism.
After the first study visit held in Corsica last April, with sector experts, institutional representatives and companies taking part, from June to October the study visits will move in turn to the other territories involved: Tuscany, Sardinia and the Var. Each visit will address different aspects covered by the INN-Pratica project, such as water resource management, mechanisation in agriculture, data management, biodiversity, tourism use and innovation.
“Innovation” is therefore the key word of this important cross-border project: sharing a common strategy based on innovation, building networks and pooling good practice that has proved successful can genuinely represent the future of agriculture and of the primary sector in general, both in Liguria and across the other Italian and French territories, and can ensure that today’s most enterprising businesses become the solid, virtuous companies of tomorrow.
“Liguria is playing a leading role in a strategic project that looks to the future of agriculture by focusing on innovation, ecological transition and the promotion of local excellence. With INN-Pratica we are building a network between businesses, institutions and the research world, encouraging the exchange of experience and good practice between different territories that nonetheless share the same challenges. This kind of shared approach is a great opportunity for the sustainable development of our rural areas and for the revival of agriculture, including from a tourism perspective. Liguria confirms once again that it is a laboratory of good practice at European level”, says the vice-president of the Liguria Region with responsibility for Agriculture, Alessandro Piana.
Information and details at interreg-marittimo.eu/it/web/inn-pratica/
