Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1510271
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 25 OCTOBER 2023 The countries of the Medi- terranean basin are blessed with a rich variety of agri- food products that are deep- ly rooted in local culture and culinary traditions. The varie- ties and breeds of plants and animals that are so character- istic of the region, as well as traditional and time-tested recipes that have been hand- ed down through the gen- erations, signify a valuable cultural biodiversity that is also representative of the ac- claimed Mediterranean diet. Most Mediterranean regions also share common challeng- es in the sector, such as the gradual loss of local varieties and breeds, rural poverty, the limited investment ca- pacity of rural entrepreneurs, and the lack of training in socio-environmental sustain- ability and in business plan- ning. Rural poverty affects women most of all, particular- ly because of their increasing participation in small-scale and subsistence farming. The project MedSNAIL - Sus- tainable Networks for Agro- food Innovation Leading in the Mediterranean aims to address these problems by promoting the development of traditional small-scale agri- food value chains, combining the enhancement of market potential and socio-environ- mental sustainability. MedSNAIL was presented under the 2014-2020 ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme, itself intended as a hub for cooperation in the Mediterranean. The Pro- gramme defines the region as home to some of the world's most ancient civilizations, and a focal point for trade and transport. It is also a unique hotspot for biodiversity that faces a multitude of common challenges, including climate change, pollution, youth un- employment and social ine- quality. The partners of the project are The Andalusian Feder- ation of Municipalities and Provinces (Spain), Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity (Italy), American University of Beirut (Lebanon), Rural Women's Development Soci- ety (Palestine), University of Sfax (Tunisia), Gozo Regional Development Foundation (Malta), Women for Cultural Development (Jordan). The range of experiences that they bring to the project include working with rural communities, stakeholder engagement, enhancing the participation of women in de- cision-making, fostering the empowerment of rural wom- en and promoting supportive spaces within local commu- nities. They also bring in val- uable academic knowledge of products and traditional small-scale farming methods. The project activities are based on the experience, principles and methods of Slow Food, an international grassroots organisation that promotes traditional food with a strong focus on the preservation of biodiversity and respect for local land and culture. Biodiversity is un- der threat around the world, and in particular biodiversity linked to family farming and small-scale agriculture is at risk from agricultural indus- trialization, genetic erosion, changing food habits, climate breakdown and the aban- donment of rural areas. The broader issues of migration and conflicts mostly exacer- bate the problems, and cer- tainly do nothing to alleviate them. The MedSNAIL project starts with the premise that there exists a collective responsi- bility to save what remains of our culinary diversity. It is not just up to NGOs and oth- er associations to defend our invaluable heritage of fruits, vegetables, livestock breeds, cheeses, breads, sweets and cured meats. We can all make conscious choices when we are buying food in order to help support products and producers that are at risk of extinction, and thereby to help save them. The Slow Food's Ark of Taste programme is about giving all of us a way to support slow food principles and products. Ark of Taste was launched in 1996 by Slow Food, and it trav- els the world collecting small- scale quality productions that belong to the cultures, history and traditions of the entire planet. The aim is to main- stream consumption of these products in their respective regions of origin, and to draw attention to the risk that they might disappear within a few generations. It currently con- tains more than 5000 prod- ucts from 150 countries. Gozo Regional Develop- ment Foundation is collab- orating with the Gozo Ar- tisan Network, setting up the MedSNAIL Gozo Food Council within the Network's structures in order to further the Slow Food principles and to consciously promote Gozitan agricultural and arti- sanal products. Together with the Ta' Kerċem Local Council, the two organisations will be holding the first local market as a family event on Sunday 29 October. The MedSNAIL project is now coming to a close. It has been altogether a great journey involving producers, local authorities, producers, chefs and communities in Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Palestine, Spain and Tunisia. It was also a coming together of minds in a concerted effort to safe- guard for posterity the re- gions' immense culinary her- itage. GRDF will hold the final event of the project on Friday, 27 October at the Grand Ho- tel in Gozo. For further details about the MedSNAIL project please visit the GRDF project website at the below address. There you will find a link to register for the final conference as well as the details details of the local market https://medsnail.gozo-rdf. eu MedSNAIL, Sustainable Net- works for Agro-food Innova- tion Leading in the Mediter- ranean, is a EU funded project under the ENI CBC Med Pro- gramme The MedSNAIL project: Slow Food's Ark of Taste travels to the Mediterranean