“Too few organic seeds in Italy”, by Giusy Pascucci

<div style="text-align: justify;">Too few organic seeds and scarce research in the sector. These are the main problems of Italian organic seeds production as reported after the first year of the National organic seeds plan activity. The plan was assigned by MipAAF to INRAN (the National Institute of Research on Food and Nutrition) in 2008 with the objective to support the adoption of initiatives to raise the supply and varieties of seeds suitable for organic productions. Thus, the first year of the project activity showed that the quantity of organic seeds available is very low, largely insufficient. Considering the growing perspectives of organic farming, the choice of varieties is the focal aspect. INRAN suggests the need to find a wider and more diversified range of varieties to offer to organic producers: an aspects that collides with the unsufficient experimentation and research activities. A new approach to agriculture production is needed, integrated with specific management practices to improve productivity, quality, sustainability and stability of crops in the organic agriculture systems. The project has furthermore drawn up guidelines and standards for the production of organic seeds. Other activities were related to genetic improvement and the enlargement of the genetic base of crop species for organic farming.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br></div><br><br>“Italia Oggi”, 21 May 2011, page 20.<br><br><br>