Inauguration of the photographic exhibition “SEEDS OF HOPE. Voices and faces from Myanmar” realized by CESVI within the S.A.F.E.C.R.O.P.S. funded by AICS

The exhibition hosting the shots taken by the photographer Gianfranco Ferraro in the Dry Zone of Myanmar was inaugurated in Bergamo on Saturday 1 April 2023; the area is strongly affected by the consequences of climate change where AICS has promoted various initiatives to support the local population; the most recent one is the S.A.F.E.C.R.O.P.S. project, created by the Italian NGO CESVI in collaboration with the local NGO NAG and the Microfinance and Development Onlus Association. The exhibition will be open to visitors until May 1st 2023.

The project aims to support the population in the fight against the effects of climate change in the agricultural sector through the promotion of innovative practices for sustainable agriculture, the dissemination of seeds suitable for the place and profitable and access to credit also for small producers in the sesame, peanuts, and bean supply chains.

Promoting sustainable rural development and community resilience in Myanmar is strategic, as the Country is considered by the Global Climate Risk Index 2021 to be second in the world for vulnerability to extreme weather events and natural disasters linked to climate change, which exacerbate the humanitarian crisis affecting, to date, 17.6 million people according to the United Nations.

The website www.semidisperanza.info includes in addition to the photographs, interviews with the beneficiaries of the project, who share their experiences and opportunities created for their families and villages through the project.

[tchsp id=”3″]

AICS Hanoi at MACFRUT 2024: Agricultural mechanization to mitigate the effects of climate change and foster development in Southeast Asia

Hanoi, May 13^th — The AICS Hanoi Office participated on May 8^th-10^th in MACFRUT 2024, one of the largest fairs dedicated to the fruit and vegetable sector held in Rimini, Italy.

The event opened with a speech by AICS Director Marco Rusconi entitled ‘Cooperating for Innovation: the Mattei’s Plan applied in local realities’ where he emphasized the importance of innovation and its relevance as driving force behind the Italian Agency’s interventions.

Aics Director, Marco Rusconi, visiting AICS Hanoi Desk

The event was attended by thirteen AICS offices, each of which showcased their initiatives, results and sectoral partnerships. In representation of AICS Hanoi office, David Cecchi, Program Officer for the Italy-ASEAN Development Partnership, and Tiziana Fusco, former Head of Office of AICS Hanoi until March 31^st, took part in the event, seizing the opportunity to present one of the Office’s projects addressed to ASEAN Member States in the field of innovation “Scientific and Technical Support to ASEAN Countries for Sustainable Agriculture – 3S“.

The initiative, still pending for approval by the ASEAN Secretariat, aims to strengthen resilience to climate change and promote socio-economic and environmental sustainability of agricultural practices within ASEAN. The presentation also involved the representatives of the Consortium that will implement the initiative, namely: Prof. Roberto Guidetti from UNIMI, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Territorial Production, Agroenergy, a leading institution; Prof. Matteo Dall’Acqua, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa; Dr Carlo Fadda and Andrea Ghione, from Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT, respectively Director of research and Project leader.

According to their different sphere of expertise, they will follow the implementation of the initiative by introducing sustainable agricultural solutions and agricultural mechanization for the corn, cassava, and sugar cane supply chains.

The identification and implementation of a methodology aimed at strengthening the ASEAN Member States’ production capacity and agricultural competitiveness will guarantee greater food security in the Member States recipients of the initiative. Additionally, the execution of a pilot project in one of ASEAN Member States will develop a model for strengthening production chains that could be used and adapted to other geographical contexts and further agricultural supply chains. The sector expertise made available by the implementing Consortium will support the development of environmentally friendly, user-friendly and smart solutions capable of responding to the adverse effects of climate change, confirming the innovative spirit of the initiatives of the Italian Agency for Cooperation to Development in Southeast Asia.

Finally, the project’s implementation will reinforce the status of Italy as ASEAN development partner, obtained in September 2020.

AICS and MUFPP: A Collaborative Effort for the Promotion of Sustainable Food Systems in Schools in Vietnam

Group picture at Casa Italia, after the meeting

Hanoi, May 15 – The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact – MUFPP is an international agreement between cities around the world committed “to developing sustainable, inclusive, resilient, safe and diversified food systems to guarantee healthy and accessible food for all within a framework of rights-based action, to reduce food waste, preserve biodiversity and to mitigate the effects of climate change.” The framework for action also contributes to achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda locally. Launched on October 16 2015, at the Milan Expo, themed “Feeding the planet, life energy”, the MUFPP addresses various nutrition-related challenges, including food insecurity, malnutrition, sustainability and food waste. Currently, 280 cities around the world have joined the Pact.

Since the end of 2019, the Italy-ASEAN Association, recognizing the global importance of food sustainability systems through City Diplomacy, has partnered with the Municipality of Milan to raise awareness among ASEAN countries about this crucial issue. As a result, the MUFPP has been extended to the Southeast Asia region with the project “Spreading Experience and Knowledge on School Meal Programs in ASEAN Cities”. This initiative aims to disseminate expertise between cities, facilitate and promote knowledge exchange and experiences in food policy and food system transformation, and support them in identifying the best strategy to address their local problems with a multi-sectoral approach, to guarantee the right to nutritious food for all. So far, 18 cities in the ASEAN region have joined the initiative. The AICS Office in Hanoi, within the framework of the Convention signed between the Municipality of Milan and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, has been tasked with supporting the diffusion of the Pact in Vietnam, a Member State of ASEAN, and facilitating the identification and involvement of new municipalities in the country interested in the initiative.

MUFPP Secretary Filippo Gavazzeni

Within this framework, last May 10, in the Sala Generali of Casa Italia, in the presence of the agricultural phytosanitary Expert Renzo Moro of the Italian Embassy in Hanoi, the Infrastructure and WASH Coordinator Luca Sartorelli and the liaison officer Dung Quoc Nguyen of AICS Hanoi, a meeting took place between the MUFPP Delegation, led by Secretary Filippo Gavazzeni visiting the country, accompanied by Chiara Pontillo, “Rural Development and Food Security” Office of AICS headquarter, and the Representatives of the provinces of Haiphong, Lang Son and Sapa. Bich Pham, Founder of the Slow Food Community of Vietnam, also participated in the meeting. The meeting favoured the exchange and sharing of information on the contents and purposes of the Pact, on the specific Project activated in the ASEAN region and on the food practices and systems in use in Vietnamese schools, providing solid foundations for proactive future collaboration aimed also at to the adhesion of Vietnamese cities to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. The MUFPP delegation will move in the next few days to the towns of Phuc Yen City (North Vietnam), Da Nang, Hue, Tam Ky and Hoi An (central Vietnam), and Can Tho (South Vietnam) to meet the local authorities and reply information meetings to collect as many expressions of interest in joining the Pact.