"Seeds": A double event in Alba to explore the topic of biodiversity

Biodiversità Stellata / Biodiversité Etoilée project, funded by the Interreg VA France-Italy ALCOTRA 2014-2020 programme, is nearing its final stages . The project, in which the Municipality of Alba and the GAL Langhe Roero Leader have combined their skills and resources to raise awareness among those who live and visit the area about the value of biodiversity, especially in the agri-food sector, is in its final stages.

Following a thorough investigation, which sought to explore the Italian-French communities' perceptions of the topic through a specially created questionnaire, the Municipality of Alba and GAL Langhe Roero Leader, in collaboration with Slow Food Italy, have organized two events aimed at helping professionals and citizens understand how agri-food biodiversity, our health, and that of the planet are closely intertwined, and how this connection can be protected through each of our individual food choices.

The first event , entitled “Seeds: biodiversity from the land to the table”, took place on Monday 6 March 2023 in Alba, and represented a moment of “participatory planning” which, in the form of a world café , allowed producers, chefs and restaurateurs to share experiences and facilitate relationships in our territory between those who produce biodiversity and those who bring it to the table.

The second event , open to the public, took place on Sunday, March 12, 2023, again in Alba. Intriguing workshop activities helped participants explore biodiversity through their senses and allowed them to reflect on the more or less conscious food choices that guide consumers, and on the habits that influence the daily interconnection between people, the environment, and food.

A large and attentive audience then listened to the passionate speech by Francesco Sottile, an agronomist and professor at the University of Palermo and a technician at the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity , who issued a warning to shed light on the future: "Protecting the biodiversity of ecosystems means guaranteeing our future and that of future generations: this is what we must do every day, in our choices, in our way of feeling like living beings in balance with other living beings, respecting the environment and its vocation ," he forcefully stated. "We have all the tools to act differently, to guarantee the cultural biodiversity, knowledge, and traditions that are the soul of our territories: the remaining biodiversity can be saved and passed on to future generations!"

" With these initiatives, the GAL aimed to make a concrete cultural contribution to the growth of our region, providing serious food for thought for the local food and wine industry, so that, alongside the excellence for which it is known, it can increasingly distinguish itself through its attention to indigenous agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainability," says Carlo Rosso, President of the GAL Langhe Roero Leader . "Dialogue between operators is essential to devising a development policy that, on the one hand, encourages producers to cultivate and process products historically linked to our region, perhaps little-known or difficult to find, and on the other, stimulates the creativity of local restaurants, which increasingly favors locally sourced products and quality choices."

"Safeguarding the planet is a priority for our actions, and protecting agri-food biodiversity is a fundamental element," reiterates Emanuele Bolla, Councilor for Tourism for the Municipality of Alba . "In this sense, the 'Biodiversità Stellata' project was a good opportunity to undertake a journey of awareness of how 'biodiversity on the plate' is linked to the land and its fruits: gastronomic tradition can best express its full potential for sustainable development. My sincere thanks once again go to the many professionals who, with exemplary teamwork, made the project and all the related initiatives possible."

Also present at the meeting was Fabio Carosso, vice president of the Piedmont Region with responsibility for the mountains, who reiterated: "The Piedmont Region is investing heavily in biodiversity. Openness to change and innovation in everyday consumption can bring wealth, including economic wealth, to new generations, and the Alcotra projects are community opportunities for constructive dialogue with other communities, including those beyond the Alps, who are facing the same challenges."

For the final "Seeds" event, a booklet was created featuring anti-waste recipes proposed by chef Luciano Tona, Ambassador of Alba, a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy.

Download the "Cooking with Peels" brochure here