Agribusinesses are also called upon to promote the transition to sustainable practices that allow for the preservation and increase of biodiversity. Embarking on a path of certification that attests to the commitment of fruit and vegetable entrepreneurs to the production of sustainable products is an added value increasingly appreciated by consumers.
Dario Bagarella, Giuseppe Zarbo, Antonio Morreale
A key player in this regard is Agroqualità, a certification company of RINA Services and the Italian Chamber System, specializing in the agri-food sector. The company addresses the market with a certification proposal addressing both food safety aspects and the enhancement of product quality, ensuring compliance with good cultivation, breeding and production practices and promoting a commitment to sustainability. The company, in fact, upon completion of a thorough verification process, will be able to issue the document certifying the achievement of the BioDiversity add-on, a module created by GlobalGAP and Lidl. and intended for fresh fruit and vegetable producers already certified according to the GlobalGAP IFA standard.
Above: partial of the assessment document. Click here to see the full image.
Grapes are one of several references submitted to the BioDiversity add-on assessment.
"The enhancement of biodiversity has always been the mission of our reality," said Antonio Morreale, administrator of Bio Hortus. "Here, starting from the choice of the single activity carried out in the field and up to the packaging of the product, we have always given space to the most ecological and sustainable choices. The current environmental situation means that one of the EU's top priorities is to implement strategies that lead to the preservation of biodiversity. Consequently, we implemented this certification system that enhances and supports the biodiversity of the entire supply chain."
"There has been great enthusiasm for this path undertaken together with Agroqualità," reported Giuseppe Zarbo, agronomist and technician at the company, "A process that has immediately translated into concrete commitments through the implementation of a biodiversity plan. Joining this new module gives continuity to the certification paths already undertaken, which we have been working on for several years."
Sustainable products thanks to natural pollination
"The protection of biodiversity plays an increasingly central role in recent years in the interest of the individual and the community," said Dario Bagarella, Agroqualità's Head of Product. "We at Agroqualità strongly believe in the potential of this new module, which directs farms toward more environmentally and economically sustainable practices. We are proud to have evaluated the first farm according to the BioDiversity add-on and hope that this is the beginning of a long journey that aims to enhance and protect biodiversity."
For more information:
Dario Bagarella
RINA Services S.p.A.
Head of Food Voluntary&Mandatory
Certification Strategic Centre
+39 335 227834
dario.bagarella@agroqualita.it
www.rina.org