Hanoi, May 13th — The AICS Hanoi Office participated on May 8th-10th 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 31st, 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.