From research comes a new tool for energy and environmental efficiency in agrifood supply chains
Thanks to the LIFE TTGG project on the Grana Padano PDO supply chain an environmental decision support software for companies
After five years of research and development, the final results of the European project LIFE TTGG – promoted by Grana Padano Protection Consortium, Politecnico di Milano, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Piacenza, Fondazione Qualivita, CNIEL, Enersem and oriGIn for improving the efficiency of the entire European PDO cheeses supply chains through the development of user-friendly decision support software – were presented today with an international online event gathering GI producers, stakeholders and experts from some 40 countries.
The project analysed the Grana Padano PDO supply chain, thanks to the collaboration of Grana Padano Protection Consortium business partners that had allowed the systematic collection of data on a representative sample of the entire PDO production chain (65 companies producing raw milk, 20 dairies and seasoners and 18 packers) in order to: measure the environmental profile of the supply chains, create a benchmark, propose efficiency solutions and develop a software.
The software developed within the LIFE TTGG project is the first Environmental Decision Support Tool (EDSS) to combine the calculation of the environmental footprint with the identification of concrete and specific measures to reduce energy consumption.
The EDSS System offers numerous benefits to both individual PDO PGI producers, as it automatically processes data and provides the most effective indications to reduce the environmental and energy impact, and to PDO PGI Consortia by providing a shared and uniform tool for all companies who can support the promotion of new improvement strategies. Finally, the software acquires an essential value for the PDO PGI supply chains since it facilitates the implementation of environmental sustainability strategies and compliance to environmental sustainability schemes.
In line with the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy, the software EDSS can be updated and provides indicators for business sustainability reporting. In the coming months, an additional improvement is planned to make the software flexible and available for others PDO PGI supply chains as well as compliant with environmental certification schemes such as Made Green in Italy and the internationally recognized Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
Thanks to the PEF methodology – the EU standard methodology applied by the project – the tool will be instrumental for achieving sustainability goals established by the Green Deal and for having access to numerous business support and incentive tools provided under the new European Green Course.
DECLARATIONS
Mr. Stefano Berni, Director of Grana Padano Protection Consortium: “The concepts of “Sustanability” belongs to the DNA of Grana Padano PDO: it is a cheese that was created as an anti-waste recipe by the monks of Chiaravalle Abbey. In the wake of this age-old tradition, the production chain is ready to adopt every new tool to further reduce its environmental footprint”.
Mr. Massimo Vittori, Managing Director of oriGIn: “Sustainability, in its economic, social and environmental components, is a priority for PDO PGI supply chains. oriGIn, which is committed to providing support to Protection Consortia interested in the issue, is grateful to the LIFE TTGG partners. One of the most interesting results of the project is the “Environmental Decision Support Tool” (EDSS), a software tool that offers producers in the PDO dairy sector, and beyond, an effective tool to monitor and improve the environmental impact of production”.
Mr. Mauro Rosati, Director of Fondazione Qualivita: “The LIFE TTGG shows to the European Geographical Indications sector how to implement a tool capable of bringing an improvement in environmental and energy performance with a tangible effect on the supply chain. In this context, the project also demonstrated how the role of Protection Consortia is essential to effectively address the ecological transition and process innovation that would otherwise be precluded to smaller producers”.
Mr. Jacopo Famiglietti, Politecnico di Milano (Polimi): “The EDSS software is a tangible tool that will enable PDO and PGI Consortia to dynamically and robustly measure their environmental profile allowing the implementation of granular and effective sustainability policies”.
Mr. Federico Froldi, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC): “The study of the LIFE cycle of Grana Padano PDO cheese started from milk production, the stable phase, from which everything comes to LIFE. Knowing the production realities is essential for the identification of weak points on which to intervene with concrete proposals to mitigate environmental impacts, contributing to the sustainable growth of the entire supply chain”.
Mr. Matteo Muscherà, Enersem: “There is a huge satisfaction in finally presenting the result of long and challenging project, one that has made it possible to create an innovative software to calculate the environmental footprint of Italy’s most important PDO, and which can also be applied to other production chains”.
Source: Fondazione Qualivita