"Can we imagine an agriculture without chemical pesticides in 2050?": the results of an innovative study involving the Centre of Plant Sciences of the Sant'Anna School
Leveraging research to accelerate the agroecological transition is in line with the goals of the European Green Deal and responds to strong demand from public authorities, stakeholders and society at national and European levels. For more than two years, more than 144 experts, including the Agroecology Group of the Centre of Plant Sciences of the Sant'Anna School, have been analyzing possible ways to eliminate pesticides from agriculture on a European scale for the forecast study "European Pesticide-Free Agriculture in 2050", published by INRAE, France's leading agricultural research organization.
The three scenarios explored to promote changes in the agriculture and food system were presented during a symposium to discuss the results. This innovative attempt to weave a broader storyline was enriched by the assessment of measured impacts on European food sovereignty and the environment for each scenario. For each, possible European and regional transition pathways of the entire food system are indicated, based on participatory workshops conducted in four European regions.
Regarding Italy, the contribution on a specific case study concerning the cultivation and supply chain of durum wheat in Tuscany comes from the research group of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, composed of Agronomy professors Paolo Bàrberi and Anna Camilla Moonen, Federico Leoni, research fellow, Stefano Carlesi, PhD student, and researchers Giovanni Pecchioni and Giaime Berti.
The Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies' next contribution toward building a pesticide-free agriculture is expected during the upcoming "European Reserach alliance-Towards a chemical pesticide free agriculture", scheduled in Upsla, Sweden, from Tuesday, May 23 to Thursday, May 25, 2023.
Full study available here.
