Milan is talking with Companies and other stakeholders upon the next Open Innovation Hub for Peri-urban Agriculture
The synergy between various actors of the Milanese food system (farmers, companies, associations, consumers, local authorities) is essential for both the project objectives and to enable a long-term vision for food-related decisions. Starting with the food, in fact, you can build an integrated policy, innovating the peri-urban agriculture. This would renovate suburban areas and protect the landscape, creating at the same time new skills and new opportunities for business.
Since Openagri aims at creating new skills, new form of business and new jobs it refers primarily to companies alongside the Agri-food supply chain. In these first months of work we have assessed the innovation needs of companies as well as their expectations. Moreover, an online survey, some interviews to key informants and thematic focus groups will allow to collect inputs and crucial ideas for the construction of the future Open Innovation Hub in Cascina Nosedo. On April 3, it was organized at the Chamber of Commerce of Milan a meeting with leading business representatives. Companies and agricultural districts showed high interest and generally want to take part in Openagri, that is seen as an important development opportunity for Milan and its territory.
In the meantime, the City Council has approved a close up of feasibility of the building of Cascina Nosedo, the ancient Cascina (farm house) that thanks to UIA funds will host the new center of excellence for peri-urban agriculture. The City of Milan has made available several hectares of agricultural land on which companies and innovators will experiment new crops, new techniques and new connections on the agri-food chain in an ecosystem perspective.
Author: Openagri project team
Jobs and skills in the local economy
