Last May 15, SPRING, in the context of the European Project CircHive , organized the“Milan Biodiversity Day” at the UNIMI Foundation headquarters, bringing together experts and stakeholders from the agri-food sector for a discussion on biodiversity issues.
In addition to inspiring presentations from businesses, local collaborators and research institutions, a panel discussion united these perspectives under the themes of biodiversity, agriculture and cross-sectoral integration.
The discussion brought out both fundamental ideas from each field represented by the speakers and cutting-edge strategies. They ranged from Barilla’s 20 years of experience in sustainability to the possibilities offered by DNA barcoding to improve data reliability in biodiversity monitoring.
Sergio De Pisapia, of Barilla, stressed the importance of a bottom-up approach, i.e., starting with the farmers and working our way up to the farm, not the other way around.
“It is easier for farmers to accept a new way of working if we start by collaborating with a few pioneer farmers and then share experiences.” Barilla also provides economic incentives to make the changes financially sustainable as well.
Jessica Frigerio, from the University of Milan-Bicocca, presented a new method of tracking nature: DNA barcoding. The name recalls the barcoding of products in supermarkets, where each code corresponds to a single product. Similarly, a standardized DNA sequence, called a “barcode,” corresponds to a single species, which can be identified by searching the code in a database. Researchers at the university have so far collected more than 10,000 species in Italy. DNA barcoding can be used to study endangered species, invasive species and pollinator-plant interactions.
Professor Alessandro Banterle highlighted the need to unite the systems of human value, food and nature, now treated separately, by promoting deeper links between people, the land and the origin of food. Strengthening these links can help us recognize biodiversity as a public good.
He said, “Companies must try to communicate the importance of biodiversity to the consumer.” However, he also pointed out that biodiversity can be seen as a positive externality of the bioeconomy and, as such, deserving of public support.
Adriana Versino, from SIMBIOSI, recounted that they collaborate with different types of businesses, including real estate companies, because in the end we all depend on nature. Therefore, we also need to better prepare for the shocks that the system suffers from climate change and biodiversity loss.
Stefania Trenti, from Intesa Sanpaolo, stressed the importance for financial institutions to go beyond risk analysis and consider biodiversity as a pillar for growth strategies.
Marion Hammerl, of the Lake Constance Foundation, which has been active in integrating biodiversity into European agricultural policy for years, reiterated the need to shift the focus from the costs of biodiversity measures to investments for the future.
Biodiversity can become a new horizon for growth if productive, industrial and financial systems are intertwined with human and ecological value systems.
