National and regional policies for school food in Italy and Tuscany

National School Meals Network

National and regional policies for school food in

Italy and Tuscany

Seoul

September 11th, 2012

iVanessa Malandrin, Junior researcherPisa University

Public Procurement

Public Administration purchasings account for 19% of GDP in EU (2 trillion euros, 2011) and 17% of GDP in Italy

WTO government procurement agreement: free market principle, price as best objective indicator

EU: Dir 2004/17/CE and Dir 2004/18/CE Transparency, Non-discrimination

Sustainable Public Procurement

European strategy (2008/397) on “Sustainable Consumption and Production”

Focus on environmental + social aspects

GPP is more focused on minimizing the environmental impact during all the lifecycle

Forecasts were predicting that 50% of PP would have become green / sustainable, but we are far from it

Green Public ProcurementIt is defined in the EU Communication

(2008)“Public Procurement for a better

environment” It is a voluntary instrumentFor each product/service group, two sets of

criteria are presented:

• Core criteria: they address the most significant environmental impacts, with minimum cost increases

• Comprehensive criteria: best environmental products available on the market, which may imply a cost increase

GPP and food provisioning Food and Beverage sector is

responsible in Europe for 20 – 30% of the most significative environmental impacts (Source: EU Commission, 2006)

Many PA in EU are developing policies for more sustainable models in public food provision: Sweden (Malmö), UK, Denmark, Netherlads

Organic products, sustainable fishery, less meat, less packaging, better logistic for transports

GPP in Italy “Action Plan for consumption sustainability

in the sector of Public Administration” has been adopted in 2008

It is the main instrument to foster and spread GPP

The Ministry of Environment defined the “Minimum environmental criteria” for Collective Food Catering Services (2011)

School food: regional laws and guidelines for the introduction of organic, seasonal and SFSC products + Mediterranean diet (since 1986)

Goals of GPP in Italy

To reduce environmental impacts To stimulate innovation To rationalise public spending To give a better image of PA To spread over sustainable models of

consumption To increase competences of public

buyers To improve enterprises’ competitivity

Organic canteens at national level

2009 837 public canteens

2011 1.115 = 33% more

The trend is positive thanks to the introduction of “Minimum environmental criteria” for Collective Food Catering Services (2011)

Tuscan regional laws Regional Law 18/2002 to foster the

use of organic products PRAF 2011, measure A.2.7 a) In the firts year max 60% of

contribution to cover the additional costs

b) max 90% of contribution to organize courses for food education

Minimum 50% of the total products used must be organic

Best Practices: Bagno a Ripoli, Florence (1)

26.000 inhabitants; peri-urban and rural area in the outskirts of Florence.

2100 school meals a day SIAF: 52% public + 48% private

partnership. School and hospital meals (2 million meals

per year) School meal system: awarded by Slow

Food (2008) “Dream Canteen”

Best Practices: Bagno a Ripoli, Florence (2)

• Organic & Local• Frequent changes in the menu to

adapt to seasonality• Strong effort on communication:

– Continuous information to children, parents and teachers

– Cooking laboratories– Waste monitoring

Best Practices: Bagno a Ripoli, Florence (3)

• Strong effort on local provision of food: 2004: The Municipality invites local

farmers to produce for school canteens Local producers started a strong

collaboration and production planning 25% of provision is local and the rural

area interested is 55 Ha = 136 acres Gradually they invite local farmers

supplying to schools to turn organic

Trascinare l'immagine su un segnaposto o fare clic sull'icona per aggiungerla

Promotion and communication initiatives

Children and parents can meet in front of the school the producers supplying the canteen, and buy their products

Trascinare l'immagine su un segnaposto o fare clic sull'icona per aggiungerla

SFSC in Pisa school meals

* According to seasonality and availability on the territory: if the tuscan organic product is not available, national

organic products will be provided (for instance oranges)

Challenges

Financial: PA pays too late the small producers

Over or under production: other destinations for extra products are needed, as clear alternatives when the products are missing

Working with local products has higher costs for processing (non standardized)

Need to balance extra costs and savings

… and threats

July 25th 2012: new agreement between MIUR and Federalimentare, to promote food education in schools

Food security and calories are the main aspects highlighted in the protocol

No attention to local products and to the agricultural world

Visits to food industries instead of farm visits

References Bocchi, S., Spigarolo, R., Marcomini, N., & Sarti, V. (2008).

Bioforsk Report Organic and conventional public food procurement for youth in Italy, 3(42).

European Commission (2011) Buying Green, a handbook on green public procurement, Second edition, Brussels.

European Commission (2006). Analysis of the life cycle environmental impacts related to the final consumption of the EU25, Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, Annex report May 2006.

Morgan, K., Sonnino, R. (2007). Empowering consumers: the creative procurement of school meals in Italy and the UK, International Journal of Consumer Studies. Vol. 31, Issue 1, pages 19–25.

References Sonnino, R. (2009). Quality food, public procurement, and

sustainable development: the school meal revolution in Rome. Environment and Planning, volume 41, pages 425-440.

Sonnino, R., & Marsden, T. (2006). Beyond the divide: rethinking relationships between alternative and conventional food networks in Europe. Journal of Economic Geography, 6(2), 181-199.

United Nations (2008). Public Procurement as a tool for promoting more Sustainable Consumption and Production patterns. Issue 5, August 2008. Available at: http://esa.un.org/marrakechprocess/pdf/InnovationBriefs_no5.pdf

Thank you!

Contacts: Vanessa Malandrin

[email protected]