Italy is in favor of economic growth that is sustainable but also inclusive. It calls for as many trade barriers as possible to be removed, with a view to growing multilateralism. Finally, it recognizes the Mediterranean diet and, more generally, all traditional diets, a cultural value that must be safeguarded. This is the message issued yesterday by the “B20-G20-Fao Dialogue on sustainable food systems”. The initiative was organized by the B20 chaired by the Italian Emma Marcegaglia, by the Presidency – also Italian – of the G20 and by the FAO (in collaboration with Federalimentare) to discuss the sustainability of food systems, in view of the G20 in Matera on 29 June and, above all, the UN 2021 pre-summit that Rome will host on July 19th. These are all stages that will lead to the UN Food Systems Summit to be held in New York this fall: on that occasion, the United Nations could indicate that the Mediterranean diet contains too many foods of animal origin and, therefore, , it is not very sustainable for the planet. For the made in Italy agri-food sector, such an orientation risks having negative repercussions on the competitiveness of our exports. For this reason, the Italian Country System, starting today, has decided to make its compactness felt around the defense of traditional diets, including the Mediterranean.
The location of the B20
“As entrepreneurs we want to commit ourselves to fighting climate change and inequality – said the president of the B20, Emma Marcegaglia, at the opening of the meeting – companies want to ensure consumers a healthy and sustainable food and in this Italy boasts a great experience that we want to share with the rest of the world. There are no good foods and bad foods, there are only balanced diets and diets that are not. The B20 will cooperate with the FAO and deliver its recommendations to the G20 ».
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Emma Marcegaglia said she was concerned about the increase in raw material prices: “We need investment governance in terms of market access and availability of raw materials to avoid protectionism which, as happened in the early stages of the pandemic crisis, strongly hindered food raw materials, causing their prices to skyrocket ». It is also to remedy crises like these that “trade restrictions must be removed – added the vice president of Confindustria, Barbara Beltrame – the B20 Trade & Investment task force will ask the G20 for a strong commitment to a multilateral trading system that must be opened , non-discriminatory and based on clear rules ».
The demands of food businesses
On behalf of our companies, the president of Federalimentare Ivano Vacondio reiterated Italy’s commitment to producing in an increasingly sustainable way: “But alongside environmental sustainability – he added – we cannot forget the economic one: the Italian food industry it is a reference for local economies, being characterized by a large number of SMEs. Only by protecting our excellence and our food system, which is based on the specificity of the Mediterranean diet, will we be able to continue to guarantee that food diversity that has made our food & beverage great in the world ».
Food security will also be at the center of the Italian presidency of the G20 in Matera: “If some food systems have survived the impact of the pandemic – said Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, who spoke personally at yesterday’s meeting – an additional 100 million on the other hand, people were exposed to the risk of food insecurity. For this reason Italy is working with the other G20 partners on a Matera Declaration on food safety and nutrition ».