A structural and innovative agreement that opens a new season for Italian agriculture. The president of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini and the head of the Banca dei Territori Division of Intesa Sanpaolo, Stefano Barrese, signed an agreement on 9 June that makes a ceiling of 3 billion available to the members of the agricultural organization. The goal is to facilitate all businesses, from small to medium and large, in accessing NRP contributions by maximizing public support with loans that can reach up to 30 years and an amount equal to 100% of the expenditure, even with a subsidiary guarantee. dell’Ismea and Green by Sace. The meeting opened by the Secretary General of Coldiretti, Vincenzo Gesmundo, which saw the participation of the Minister of Agricultural Policies, Stefano Patuanelli, was also an opportunity to take stock of the agricultural situation in light of the impact of two years Covid emergency and the war in Ukraine. Stefania Trenti, Head of the Industry Research Department of Studies and Research of Intesa Sanpaolo, Massimiliano Cattozzi, Head of the Agribusiness Department of Intesa Sanpaolo, who illustrated the terms of the agreement in detail, and Raffele Borriello, Head of the Legislative and Institutional Relations Department of Coldiretti, participated in the debate.
Minister Patuanelli recalled how the PNRR measures affect the elements of fragility, from income diversification to added value along supply chains, from water to logistics and innovation. Today – said the minister – private investments must be stimulated and with the presence of Coldiretti, a great social force, and Intesa Sanpaolo, the challenge can be won. There are eight key chapters of the agreement and range from the transfer of knowledge of the NRP, with a new platform that customers with a VAT number can access to obtain information on tenders, to sustainability and circular economy with medium-long term financing, to pass youth entrepreneurship to supply chain programs, internationalization and aid to companies that have recorded the highest costs associated with their energy bills. “The National Recovery and Resilience Plan provides for important initiatives and resources with the aim of bringing about a real paradigm shift for the entire national agri-food sector. With the agreement with Coldiretti, Intesa Sanpaolo – explained Barrese – wants to contribute to this change by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector to take an important step in the way of doing agriculture, starting a new future, in which sustainability and digitization are increasingly central. Prandini affirmed that it is precisely in moments of difficulty that we need to trace the trajectory of the future. He recalled how the PNRR is fundamental to face the challenges of the ecological and digital transition. We must invest – he reiterated – in renewable energy, biogas and biomethane and in alternative fertilizers to chemical ones. Data management is central, while today there is no platform for the blockchain in Europe. There is a lot to do – added the president of Coldiretti – and the agreement with Intesa Sanpaolo represents an important tool for access to credit for agricultural businesses, supporting the commitment of agri-food to make the most of the opportunities offered by National recovery and resilience plan. In fact, it is necessary to accompany all farms towards innovation.
For this reason – he announced – we are fielding synergies and alliances with sectors that are Italian excellences such as Leonardo for example. The upheavals that the war brought have highlighted how producing food and not being dependent on abroad is a strategic national security issue for a country like Italy which has yet to fill the heavy production deficit in many important sectors. For this reason, the NRP aims at the goal of increasing production by halving dependence on foreign countries. In fact, food is increasingly central to guaranteeing value and employment, but it also represents a social response. Agri-food is an important economic lever for the country. Exports reached 52 billion last year and continues to grow, but it is little, according to Prandini, compared to what could be done: within 7/8 years the 52 billion could become 100, the real made in Italy has the cards to replace the product that today recalls the Italian spirit. Barrese, for his part, underlined the strategic relationship with Coldiretti which must be seen over time and renewed with the prospect that, thanks to the boost of exports, the ceiling could reach 6 billion but there could also be updates in the contents. The president of Coldiretti expressed the certainty that resources will be spent in one year and that companies will need new resources to achieve their objectives.
