English version by Lara Gastaldi

24 research institutes in 16 EU countries have joined forces intending to change the European agricultural sector, to build a production system which employs no chemical pesticides.

On February 23rd, during the Paris International Agricultural Show, 24 European research institutes decided to join forces to create a group – known as the European Research Alliance for pesticide-free agriculture. Needless to say, this is an ambitious project. It is ambitious indeed, since nowadays we too often hear prominent personalities deny the veracity and actual risks of climate change, or – much worse – see people making irresponsible choices for their profit only – to our Planet’s detriment.

The working group currently includes 24 research institutes from 16 different European Union countries, including the Sant’ Anna High School in Pisa, the Cnr and the University of Bologna. As its name suggests, this group works to transform the way food and resources are produced through chemical pesticides-free agriculture.

The growing demand of authorities, industry and consumers is encouraging this revolutionary approach to agriculture. The first step taken by the group was the signing of a declaration of intent – a document entitled “Towards a pesticide-free agriculture” – which contains an action plan to be presented to the European Commission, as a kind of contribution in support of the European Green New Deal, which has been approved by the EU Commission at the end of 2019.

The group will then address its research for the creation of disease-free agricultural production systems through a more efficient use of current ecological knowledge, the exploitation of plant selection opportunities and the development and introduction of new technologies for the benefit of the whole sector.