Enhancing local agro-biodiversity. Sharing agricultural and food knowledge. Improve the marketing of local organic products. These are just a few of the aims of the Valdelsa Organic District, a project promoted in collaboration with the San Gimignano BioDistrict Association and the Municipalities of the Florentine and Sienese Valdelsa, for which a meeting will be held with all operators in the sector on Tuesday 25 March, at 6:00 p.m., at the Circolo “I Praticelli” (via Bustichini).
The evening, which is promoted by the Municipal Administration of Castelfiorentino, will be attended by the Mayor, Francesca Giannì, the Councillor for Agricultural Policies, Federico Nunziata, the Mayor of Certaldo, Giovanni Campatelli (as delegate for Agriculture for the Union of Municipalities), the Mayor of Montespertoli, Alessio Mugnaini (as delegate for Agriculture for ANCI Toscana), other Mayors of Valdelsa and representatives/managers of sector associations.
The project aims to involve farmers and in particular the largest number of organic and non-organic farms, tourist and cultural operators, associations and other stakeholders in order to create a concrete opportunity for the Valdelsa territory.
In addition to the objectives mentioned above, i.e. the protection and valorisation of biodiversity, also through better marketing of local products, the project aims to regenerate the soil resource and ecosystem services provided by agricultural fields to the community, and to incentivise the use of the area’s organic products in public canteens and catering, thus proposing the products of the heart of Tuscany to an increasingly attentive public, interested in healthy eating and a genuine way of producing food.
“At a time of great change”, observes the Councillor for Agricultural Policies, Federico Nunziata, “an organic district provides the entire area with a business card, a quality product label and a virtuous example, capable of producing important spin-offs for the local economy. Ultimately, this project could translate into a concrete promotion for the agricultural territory and for all the synergies that could develop in the food, tourism and cultural spheres, confirming that a powerful alternative to intensive industrial production is possible”.
The project is promoted in collaboration with the San Gimignano BioDistrict Association and the municipalities of Casole d’Elsa, Castelfiorentino, Certaldo, Colle di Val d’Elsa, Gambassi Terme, Montaione, Montespertoli, Poggibonsi and San Gimignano.