Environmental institute ISPRA joins FAO’s renewed partnership with major Italian research bodies CNR, CREA, and ENEA

10 July 2018, Rome -  The Italian Institute for Environmental Research and Protection (ISPRA) today joined FAO and three of Italy's main research institutions - the National Research Council (CNR), the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), and the National Agency for New Technologies,  Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) - in a partnership aimed at enhancing sustainable food production and nutrition in developing countries.

"The world is facing unprecedented global challenges that affect the long-term sustainability of food and agriculture systems, impacting global food security and the livelihoods of millions of family farmers worldwide," said Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General and Natural Resources Coordinator.  

With a world population expected to grow to nearly 10 billion people in 2050, , FAO estimates that agricultural output will need to increase by almost 50 percent compared to 2012 to meet projected food demand. Research is going to be crucial to help countries find the right balance between increasing agricultural productivity while sustainably managing valuable natural resources and conserving ecosystems.

"Italy's top research institutions can provide crucial expertise, information and science to move towards sustainable food systems and  the achievement of Zero Hunger by 2030," Semedo added.

"With this wide-ranging cooperation agreement Italy can better support FAO in the field of agriculture innovation for family farmers and smallholders. Together, we can  transform  agriculture and food systems to make them sustainable in innovative ways!" said Ambassador Pierfrancesco Sacco, Permanent Representative of the Italian Republic to the UN Agencies in Rome during the signing of the partnership.

Successful and renewed partnership

Through this partnership, FAO and the Italian research institutions have jointly organized over the last three years seminars on a wide range of topics related to agricultural sustainability, such as soils, pulses and water and energy management for sustainable food systems. Partners have also engaged in food safety activities, which provided scientific evidence for the Codex Alimentarius. FAO and the Italian research institutions have also collaborated in efforts to promote healthy diets and good nutrition.

Over the next three years, the extended partnership will focus on knowledge sharing, as well as developing new initiatives based on a holistic approach to sustainability. The main areas for collaboration include: agricultural innovation, climate change, the development of new technologies and protocols for food quality and human nutrition, value chain development through a systemic approach to local innovation, land and water management and ecosystems quality.

More information about the Italian research institutions

With more than 100 research institutes and 8,000 research staff, CNR's areas of work include research and technological development in Agriculture and Food Sciences, Bio-Medicine, Engineering, Environmental and Social Sciences.

As part of the Ministry of Agriculture, CREA's 1,700 researchers and staff perform advanced research on agriculture, agroindustry, food, fishery, forestry and economics.

ENEA operates in the fields of energy, the environment and new technologies. It employs over 2,600 staff across its 11 research centres.

ISPRA's work includes strengthening national environmental protection in cooperation with the Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Ministry of Education, University and Research.

Together, the four institutions employ over 10,000 scientists in more than 100 research institutes across Italy.