#farmersolidarity ASeS’ food collection campaign to benefit Caritas

The balance and thanks to all who participated in the initiative

Having overcome the most health-critical phase of the pandemic due to Covid-19, ASeS has made itself available to the local community to try to make the social consequences of the pandemic, foremost among them the poverty emergency, less burdensome. The lockdown has in fact brought out new poverty and exacerbated the difficulties for all those who already had problems Today, the number of new poor is set to grow because of job losses, the difficulties many are experiencing in reopening their businesses, the layoffs that have yet to be paid to all, and increasingly low wages, with the result that there is a frightening increase in people who are worried because they do not know who to ask for help, do not know how to feed their children, and are ashamed to find themselves, for the first time, in difficulty.

Faced with this reality, which will not be automatically resolved with the exit from the health crisis and which also poses a strong threat to the country’s social cohesion, ASeS, in collaboration with Cia-Agricoltori Italiani and some of the Confederation’s territorial offices, has developed a campaign called #agricoltorisolidali to collect foodstuffs to be donated to the reference CARITAS, which has always supported the most fragile people in individual territories whose difficulties and needs they know.

“For this initiative,” commented President Cinzia Pagni. we chose a week that was anything but random. In fact, all of the donations occurred on World Food Safety Day because as farmers we believe in the strength of our agriculture that not only ensures food security but also because, by vocation, the primary sector is an inclusive one where a sense of community and neighborliness is still strong today. In line with our mission and thanks to the collaboration of the various Cia offices, ASeS therefore wanted to take an active part during this very difficult historical moment by putting together this initiative.

In fact, our association, which originated from a project of farmers for farmers, of agricultural solidarity in mutual development cooperation, felt that the best way to support families is to donate the fruit of what we, as farmers, do every day: produce healthy food to ensure a healthy and balanced food diet”

The initiative, which was welcomed and carried out with enthusiasm and participation, covered the Veneto ( Padua and Venice ); Emilia Romagna ( Reggio Emilia ); Tuscany ( Livorno, Lucca and Grosseto ) L’ Abruzzo ( Lanciano ) and Apulia ( Bari, Lecce, Taranto, Altamura, Monopoli, Palo del Colle and Castellaneta ) A week during which the values of solidarity, participation and respect for those in difficulty were celebrated and which highlighted the will shown by organizations, citizens and companies that continued to work for the common good by not stopping in the face of obstacles or problems.

Thanks to this initiative, which is intended to be the first step for other similar events, a total of 50 quintals of agricultural products, 2,500 bottles of tomato puree, 500 packages of pasta and more than 150 liters of extra virgin olive oil as well as fruit juices, preserves and jams Thanks to all this in the coming months the territorial Caritas will be able to fill many plates you want and warm the hearts of entire families, alleviating the economic and social hardship that has emerged strongly during these months.

“Since access to food for a person or a family cannot be considered a secondary issue, the hope,” he concluded, ” is that once the lights are turned off on the post-Covid emergency, solidarity will not be diminished but will remain a staple in everyday actions and choices.

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