"THIS IS THE COUNTRY OF FOOD AND WINE, TASTE AND BEAUTY, BUT WE ARE NOT AWARE OF IT”. TRAINING NEEDED FOR THE AGRO-FOOD SECTOR (EXPORT RECORD 2013: 34 BILLION EUROS).

Video by www.winenews.tv:
The Minister of Agriculture Nunzia de Girolamo talks to WineNews about education in schools at the wine pavilion at Expo 2015

"Training activities are critical to the agricultural sector (in 2013 we will reach a record high of more than 34 billion euros in exports in the world). In order to communicate and sell our excellent products we must know them well and we can reach this objective through training programs. It is an important updating and specializing opportunity for those who are already active in the sector and an extraordinary opportunity for young people”, said, the Minister of Agriculture, Nunzia De Girolamo, today in Rome during the conference "Culinary training at the national and international level" organized by Citta’ del Gusto (Cities of Taste) for the 10 years since the foundation of the Gambero Rosso training schools.
Paolo Cuccia, president of Gambero Rosso Holding, opened the symposium and reminded the audience of “the first and second-level University Master classes and the opening of three new Città del Gusto in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Miami” in order to further develop training and education to taste. Cuccia also stated “the world asks itself why Italy, which is a leading force in both production and supply, is not a leading force in formation as well”.
The road ahead is still long regarding often insufficient and fragmented training programs. Mario Guidi, president of the Italian confederation of famers, Confagricoltura, reflecting on the past few years says, "Thinking small in a globalized world is wrong and it loses. We don’t realize how great Italian agriculture is and we always tend to underestimate the sector. This is the reason we need new skills and new networks of production, consumption and distribution. Agriculture is a sector that should invest along with tourism to boost its potential”. The regional councilors to agricultural policies (Campania, Lazio, Sicily, Lombardy, Puglia) who took part in the debate, set forth a very clear and strategic role: one for all, Dario Cartabellotta (Sicily), who made his debut stating, "the issue of formation cannot be delegated; it is important to change view points and give a new role to structures, like districts that have an important role even in the cultural growth of the workers".
The president of the Italian Institute of Services for agro-food markets Ismea, Arturo Semerari said, " Food and wine training is key to our sector, Made in Italy and the entire country. The goal is to grow our exports. Today only 20% export, compared to 40% of the producers. We must create a system and think outside the shop”.
The problems of insufficient training were also highlighted by Domenico Zonin, president of Uiv (Italian Wine Union), especially when compared to the encounter with the other Country’s systems: “There is an abyss between universities and companies: a newly graduated student hired in a company must be trained again because he/she has no experience. Even today, in the face of the crisis, investment in training is cut. This is the wrong attitude because it leaves no room for competition”.
The conference also addressed the hot topic of Expo 2015. The Minister announced that within days she would sign a decree to provide financially for "Pavilion Wine & Oil" and support other activities pertaining to the Ministry of Agriculture. Among the sector representatives, however, there are concerns about the delay, especially from the point of view of content: "in France, 18 months before the Expo opens”, said Riccardo Ricci Curbastro, president of Federdoc, “the full program of activities is already in place with the how’s and the who’s. We hope the Government and the Regions turn around and start a new phase…”

Focus - Minister De Girolamo, "Made in Italy: it is key to focus on training also to address international challenges"
"We are the country of food and wine, taste and beauty, but we are not aware of it, so I think training activities are essential to the agricultural sector. In order to communicate and sell our excellent products we must first know them well and we can reach this goal through training programs. It is an important opportunity for updates and specializing for those who are already working in the sector and an extraordinary opportunity for young people”, said the Minister of Agriculture, Nunzia De Girolamo, today in Rome during the conference "Culinary training on the national and international level" organized by Citta’ del Gusto (Cities of Taste) for the 10 year anniversary of the Gambero Rosso training schools. "There are many young people who will approach the agro-food business world”, said the Minister, “to look for a professional outlet. I’m taking an interest in the generation of thirty-year olds who instead of dreams received insecurity and free internships. For them, I am developing a package of measures, in consultation with Ismea, in addition to what we have achieved for the new Pac, that is, 25% increase in direct aid for under 40 companies”. "Besides the emergency of youth employment, there are at least three other key challenges”, De Girolamo said, “in the agricultural sector: simplification, access to credit and export support. We are working on the first challenge and in the coming weeks I hope to present to the Council of Ministers a package of measures that will cut unnecessary bureaucracy. It is our duty to free businesses from this yoke, which makes them less competitive and takes a long, long amount of time away from production”.
"To counter the credit crunch, I expect a turnaround in the banks’ attitude. Banks were founded to give credit; they are also essential to restore confidence and to support the development of this country, but at this time do not give adequate support to our industry. I ask myself: if we do not give credit to those who produce the excellence of Made in Italy, then in which companies do we want to invest? And if already successful companies find it difficult to get loans and credit lines from banks, for young people to get support outside of the family is almost a utopia. I will take the matter to the Council of Ministers as soon as possible, because there is no time to lose”.
"On the export front”, concluded the Minister, “the Italian government must do its part by helping out businesses and stimulating the creation of training programs to prepare competent professionals who will represent Italy best. We import people, tourists, because of the quality of our food and we export our enormous basket of products from wine to extra virgin olive oil to cheeses and pizza. I'm proud of what we are doing and the fact that this year will beat all records with more than 34 billion euros in exports to the whole world. But we have room for growth. We can do even better, we must add beautiful to the excellent quality, focusing on packaging to entice and win over international consumers. Expo 2015 will also be crucial to showcase the best of our productions and to create a system, so that companies learn to be and work together, because this is the only way we will have more weight abroad”.