National School Meals Network
National and regional policies for school food in
Italy and Tuscany
Seoul
September 11th, 2012
iVanessa Malandrin, Junior researcherPisa University
Public Procurement
Public Administration purchasings account for 19% of GDP in EU (2 trillion euros, 2011) and 17% of GDP in Italy
WTO government procurement agreement: free market principle, price as best objective indicator
EU: Dir 2004/17/CE and Dir 2004/18/CE Transparency, Non-discrimination
Sustainable Public Procurement
European strategy (2008/397) on “Sustainable Consumption and Production”
Focus on environmental + social aspects
GPP is more focused on minimizing the environmental impact during all the lifecycle
Forecasts were predicting that 50% of PP would have become green / sustainable, but we are far from it
Green Public ProcurementIt is defined in the EU Communication
(2008)“Public Procurement for a better
environment” It is a voluntary instrumentFor each product/service group, two sets of
criteria are presented:
• Core criteria: they address the most significant environmental impacts, with minimum cost increases
• Comprehensive criteria: best environmental products available on the market, which may imply a cost increase
GPP and food provisioning Food and Beverage sector is
responsible in Europe for 20 – 30% of the most significative environmental impacts (Source: EU Commission, 2006)
Many PA in EU are developing policies for more sustainable models in public food provision: Sweden (Malmö), UK, Denmark, Netherlads
Organic products, sustainable fishery, less meat, less packaging, better logistic for transports
GPP in Italy “Action Plan for consumption sustainability
in the sector of Public Administration” has been adopted in 2008
It is the main instrument to foster and spread GPP
The Ministry of Environment defined the “Minimum environmental criteria” for Collective Food Catering Services (2011)
School food: regional laws and guidelines for the introduction of organic, seasonal and SFSC products + Mediterranean diet (since 1986)
Goals of GPP in Italy
To reduce environmental impacts To stimulate innovation To rationalise public spending To give a better image of PA To spread over sustainable models of
consumption To increase competences of public
buyers To improve enterprises’ competitivity
Organic canteens at national level
2009 837 public canteens
2011 1.115 = 33% more
The trend is positive thanks to the introduction of “Minimum environmental criteria” for Collective Food Catering Services (2011)
Tuscan regional laws Regional Law 18/2002 to foster the
use of organic products PRAF 2011, measure A.2.7 a) In the firts year max 60% of
contribution to cover the additional costs
b) max 90% of contribution to organize courses for food education
Minimum 50% of the total products used must be organic
Best Practices: Bagno a Ripoli, Florence (1)
26.000 inhabitants; peri-urban and rural area in the outskirts of Florence.
2100 school meals a day SIAF: 52% public + 48% private
partnership. School and hospital meals (2 million meals
per year) School meal system: awarded by Slow
Food (2008) “Dream Canteen”
Best Practices: Bagno a Ripoli, Florence (2)
• Organic & Local• Frequent changes in the menu to
adapt to seasonality• Strong effort on communication:
– Continuous information to children, parents and teachers
– Cooking laboratories– Waste monitoring
Best Practices: Bagno a Ripoli, Florence (3)
• Strong effort on local provision of food: 2004: The Municipality invites local
farmers to produce for school canteens Local producers started a strong
collaboration and production planning 25% of provision is local and the rural
area interested is 55 Ha = 136 acres Gradually they invite local farmers
supplying to schools to turn organic
Trascinare l'immagine su un segnaposto o fare clic sull'icona per aggiungerla
Promotion and communication initiatives
Children and parents can meet in front of the school the producers supplying the canteen, and buy their products
Trascinare l'immagine su un segnaposto o fare clic sull'icona per aggiungerla
SFSC in Pisa school meals
* According to seasonality and availability on the territory: if the tuscan organic product is not available, national
organic products will be provided (for instance oranges)
Challenges
Financial: PA pays too late the small producers
Over or under production: other destinations for extra products are needed, as clear alternatives when the products are missing
Working with local products has higher costs for processing (non standardized)
Need to balance extra costs and savings
… and threats
July 25th 2012: new agreement between MIUR and Federalimentare, to promote food education in schools
Food security and calories are the main aspects highlighted in the protocol
No attention to local products and to the agricultural world
Visits to food industries instead of farm visits
References Bocchi, S., Spigarolo, R., Marcomini, N., & Sarti, V. (2008).
Bioforsk Report Organic and conventional public food procurement for youth in Italy, 3(42).
European Commission (2011) Buying Green, a handbook on green public procurement, Second edition, Brussels.
European Commission (2006). Analysis of the life cycle environmental impacts related to the final consumption of the EU25, Joint Research Centre (DG JRC) Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, Annex report May 2006.
Morgan, K., Sonnino, R. (2007). Empowering consumers: the creative procurement of school meals in Italy and the UK, International Journal of Consumer Studies. Vol. 31, Issue 1, pages 19–25.
References Sonnino, R. (2009). Quality food, public procurement, and
sustainable development: the school meal revolution in Rome. Environment and Planning, volume 41, pages 425-440.
Sonnino, R., & Marsden, T. (2006). Beyond the divide: rethinking relationships between alternative and conventional food networks in Europe. Journal of Economic Geography, 6(2), 181-199.
United Nations (2008). Public Procurement as a tool for promoting more Sustainable Consumption and Production patterns. Issue 5, August 2008. Available at: http://esa.un.org/marrakechprocess/pdf/InnovationBriefs_no5.pdf