Transhumance is underway in Puglia, declared a World Heritage Site by the Intergovernmental Committee of Unesco, a great opportunity to protect and promote the ancient practice still alive on the Gargano. This is what it announces Coldiretti Puglia in emphasizing the value of the traditional seasonal migration of flocks, herds and shepherds who, together with their dogs and their horses, move from the plains to the mountains, following the semi-natural paths of the sheep tracks, with journeys lasting days and stops in pre-established places, known as “post stations”.
Transhumance confirms the social, economic, historical and environmental value of pastoralism – adds Coldiretti Puglia – in a time of difficulty for farms and the zootechnical sector, a profession rich in tradition, but very hard on the farmers who accompany the herds for long journeys among the ancient sheep tracks that benefit from the climate, food and a ‘lifestyle’ returned to the origins.
Transhumance takes place in May – explains Coldiretti Puglia – because the animals need to leave, they feel the heat, they suffer it, they need cooler temperatures than the mountain pastures. On the Gargano the journey lasts 4 days with 3 stops to rest in San Paolo Civitate, Santa Croce di Magliano, Ripalimosani and Frosolone. Only the smallest animals stay at home, because they wouldn’t make it. The transhumance winds through the old sheep tracks of L’Aquila-Foggia, the famous ‘king’s sheep track’, crossed in San Paolo di Civitate, Celano-Foggia and Lucera-Castel di Sangro, with tratturelli and trattural arms from the junction and sections of state, provincial and municipal roads”. For this reason, the walkway is escorted by the pre-alerted traffic police, because the herd invades the streets, recreating amarcord scenarios, adds Coldiretti.
The Unesco recognition protects an activity of high ecological and social value because – continues Coldiretti – is concentrated in disadvantaged areas and guarantees the safeguarding of 38 breeds to the benefit of the biodiversity of the territory, put at risk by the low prices paid to the shepherds, by the multiplication of attacks by wild animals, by the unfair competition of foreign products passed off as nationals, but also from the drift of synthetic food, with the lies about food in test tubes confirming that there is a precise strategy of the multinationals, which with skilful marketing operations aim to modify natural food styles based on quality and tradition, with Coldiretti which is giving battle because food Frankenstein is a future you can’t help eating.
As for laboratory meat, for example – adds Coldiretti – the truth is that it is not advertised is that it does not save the animals because it is manufactured using the fetuses of cows, it does not save the environment because it consumes more water and energy than many traditional farms, it does not help health because there is no guarantee that the chemicals used are safe for the food consumption, is not accessible to everyone since a bioreactor is needed to make it and it is not even meat but a synthetic and engineered product.
The replacement of natural food grown in the fields with that created in the laboratory through chemistry and bioreactors endangers the made in Italy at the table starting from the Mediterranean Diet – concludes Coldiretti – universally judged as the best especially from the point of view of the health of the organism. A primacy that finds practical confirmation in the fact that the diet of Italians based on the products of the Mediterranean diet such as bread, pasta, fruit, vegetables, meat, extra virgin olive oil and the traditional glass of wine eaten at the table in regular meals has allowed for one of the highest life expectancies in the world.
But there is also the massive consumption of land that has drastically reduced the spaces and the traditional routes used precisely for the transhumance of the flocks with heavy repercussions on the national economy but also on the environmental structure of the territory because when a farm closes down – concludes Coldiretti Puglia – an entire system made up of animals, meadows for forage, of typical cheeses and above all of people committed to fighting depopulation and degradation often for entire generations.
Subscribe to the newsletter