Wiise Srl benefit company, impact report 2021

Wiise (Workable Ideas and Initiatives for a Sustainable Economy) Srl – the benefit company that manages the sites and activities of GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade) and FARE (Food and Agriculture Requirements), also supporting the non-profit association Égalité – presents its 2021 social impact report.

1) Introduction. Scenario data

The Covid-19 phenomenon has exacerbated the crisis of  food security at a global level, due both to interruptions in the  supply chain of food (agriculture, processing, logistics and transport), and to the increase in unemployment and poverty.

Estimates  by international agencies – always underestimated, as already proven – indicate that in 2021 9.8% of the world population, 828 million people, experienced problems of  food security. (1)

The situation is very serious regarding child malnutrition which causes irreversible physical and neurological disabilities. Reference is made to the publication in  The Lancet, signed by the secretaries general of UNICEF, FAO, WFP and WHO.

2) Wiise, benefit report 2021

The activity of WIISE  in 2021 focused above all on research, innovation and awareness-raising activities of the  stakeholder. Under the aegis of the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the UN 2030 Agenda and the transformations necessary to ensure the sustainable development of the agri-food chain.

2.1) Research projects in Horizon and PRIMA

Wiise currently participates in a series of research projects – in the contexts of PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area), Horizon and Horizon Europe – to offer strategic and  stakeholders building, regulatory analysis and drafting of guidelines, dossier for authorization of novel food, scientific dissemination. In 2021, Wiise continued participation in three ongoing projects:

• Camelmilk, in the PRIMA program, aimed at developing a production chain of milk and dairy products from camels and camelids of the Euro-Mediterranean area,
• ProFuture, in Horizon 2020, to optimize the production of four microalgae (Arthrospira [Spirulina] platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, Tetraselmis chui, Nannochloropsis oceanica) and promote their availability,
• EcoeFISHent, in Horizon Europe, to reuse (upcycling) fishery and fish canning industry waste – now classified as by-products of animal origin – in formulations of nutraceutical foods, cosmetics, drugs and medical devices, feed.

2.2) Other research projects

Our team  has also participated in other research initiatives, with mixed results:

• CRICKetFOOD – a research and development project of the cricket production chain (Acheta domesticus) and the use of their flours in a variety of foods, unfortunately did not pass the PRIMA selection. Although the proposed idea included, among other things, the wide participation of micro-enterprises established in numerous Mediterranean countries,
• Wasteless – a project aimed at recording and encouraging progress in circular economy performance farm to fork, in a system of  blockchain public and open access – has on the contrary scored almost the highest marks in Horizon Europe.

2.3) Training

Training  is carried out by the Wiise benefit team in various academic, associative contexts and at authorities responsible for official controls, at national and international levels.

Who writes he has also been appointed to teach food law, starting from the 2021-2022 academic year, at the University of Naples Federico II (Department of Veterinary Medicine, three-year course in Inspection of food of animal origin).

Also continues the hospitality of internship, which took place in 2021 thanks to the valuable contributions of Susanna Cavallina and Isis Consuelo Sanlucar Chrinos and the collaboration with the master's program of the University of Bologna.

2.4) Independent Information

The activity of independent InformatIon – carried out by WIISE benefit through the websites  web GIFT e FARE, both freely accessible and free of  banners e pop-ups advertising – pursues the objectives of sharing knowledge, as well as raising awareness among readers on a series of topics. Specifically:

• sustainable innovation in the agri-food supply chain, starting from primary agricultural production,
• agroecology, sustainable animal farming and related recommendations from international agencies,
• protection of soils, waters, biodiversity and ecosystems, animal welfare.  One Health,
• nutrition and public health. Scientific research, guidelines for healthy eating, market surveys.

2.4) Law and policies of food, chemical, FMCG sectors

The approach of WIISE – FARE to consultancy is based on the objective analysis of policies and rules (both current and forthcoming) with potential impact on the agri-food and feed supply chains, as well as related sectors (e.g. chemical, pharmaceutical, herbal, cosmetic, FMCG), and their sharing. Hoping that the evolution of regulations and their application can balance the public good with the legitimate expectations of  stakeholders, without neglecting the needs of the most vulnerable consumers.

The information offered by Wiise therefore includes:

• food safety and consumer information, analysis of current rules also through answers to questions on specific cases,
• Clean Spades. An investigation into the wrongdoing of the Coldiretti magic circle, to the detriment of the country-system as well as Italian farmers and breeders, (2)
• due diligence, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), CSR (Corporate Sustainability Reporting). (3)

3) Égalité non-profit, the actions for social issues

Égalité, the non-profit association founded by the Wiise benefit team, continues to receive its support on various fronts of:

• research and editorial activities, public awareness and  lobby supporting the rights of the most vulnerable population groups, at the national and EU level,
• professional volunteer activities for the concrete protection of the rights of fragile and disabled people who turn to the association,
• donations and funding of various initiatives, the creation of the site web Egalitech www.egalitech.it (2021) and the renewal of the site web www.egalite.org,
• support for the development of the non-profit industrial project of the Smart (wheel) Chair, now entrusted to the care of Regis Motors and Mecaprom, to promote the autonomy and sustainable micromobility of people with motor disabilities and difficulty walking.

4) Perspectives

In 2022-2023 WIISE Srl benefit company intends to continue its commitment to research and development projects, hoping to at least contribute to approaching the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the UN 2030 Agenda. (4)

Continues also the daily activity of free public information on topics related to agri-food supply chains, sustainability and responsibilities in the socio-environmental field, nutrition and health, animal welfare.

Post scriptum

The war disaster in Ukraine has shown the incapacity of European politics to resolve international conflicts through democracy. Wiise and Égalité promote peace and multilateralism as the only solution to the tragedy, also economic, still ongoing.

Wiise impact assessments related to the operation are also available 2020 e 2019.

Dario Dongo
Wiise S.r.l. benefit company
Sole director

Notes

(1) FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO.  The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022. Repurposing food and agricultural policies to make healthy diets more affordable.  Rome. 2022

(2) Dario Dongo also participated, through Égalité, in the preparation of the ebook edited by Andrea Poggio, Legambiente  Choose the right oil. How to remove palm oil from the tank, and more (La Nuova Ecologia, Milan, 2021).

(3) See Attachment. #CleanSpades, investigative journalism landed at the Public Prosecutor's Offices

(4) Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. The challenge of humanity

ATTACHMENT #CleanSpades, investigative journalism landed at the Public Prosecutor's Offices