The 3rd Green Med Forum

held on 12-14 May 2010 in Rome

has been once again a great organizational effort for us. We cannot feel satisfied with regard to the number of participants, which we would have liked to be higher. However, we are satisfied with the quality of the delegates that attended and the quality of the contents discussed. This is an incentive for us to continue on the road we started in 2008 in Koper- Slovenia, that continued in 2009 in Alexandria-Egypt and that after Rome will bring us to Tunis next spring. We raised a great interest, thus creating the conditions to make of the Tunis edition definitely a great one.

The audience of the Plenary Session of the 3rd Green Med Forum

The main issues emerged in Rome are basically as follows:

- Europe must be more committed in the Mediterranean, it has to help the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation make a leap forward;

- Agriculture must be fully included in the objectives of the Union for the Mediterranean, and in the strategic projects that can be financed within the EU itself;

- Aa clear action strategy agreed by all stakeholders is needed to allow an integrated Mediterranean agriculture to have a winning future.

Important people have acknowledged that the Green Med Forum can give a contribution in this regard. We received written statements from the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, from the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean Ahmad Masa'deh, from the Italian Minister of Agriculture Giancarlo Galan, while a direct contribution through the participation at the Forum's plenary session came from the President of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, Paolo De Castro, from the President of the IFAP Mediterranean Committee Giuseppe Politi, from the President of COGECA Paolo Bruni, and from the President of Fruitimprese Luigi Peviani.

From the left, Paolo Bruni (Chairman of COGECA), Giorgio Novello (Italian Government), Giuseppe Politi (Chairman of IFAP Mediterranean Commitee), Paolo De Castro (Chairman of the EU Parliament's Agriculture Commitee), Antonio Felice (Green Med Project Manager) and Pietro Cernigliaro (speaking, Chairman of ANDMI)

The Green Med Awards ceremony was remarkable, with the Italian companies Rivoira and Giuliano awarded, as well as the Egyptian company Hegazy Farms and the Barcelona wholesale market, Mercabarna, represented by its general manager Ms. Montserrat Gil de Bernabé. There was an active participation of delegations from Spain, Tunisia, Egypt and Lebanon. The meeting of Assomedmarkets, the association bringing together the directors of the Mediterranean agrofood centers/wholesale markets, helped the project take a further step forward, mainly thanks to the active role of the National Association of Italian Wholesale Markets directors ANDMI and the significant contributions of ideas coming from Tunisia and Lebanon.

The winners of the Green Med Awards.
From the left, Nicola Giuliano (Best Grower), Michelangelo Rivoira (Best Exporter), Montserrat Gil de Bernabé (Mercabarna, Best Service Provider), Luca Montanari (UNITEC, sponsor of the Awards), Pietro Rivoira and Khaled Hegazy (Best Grower).

The topics covered in the seminars have highlighted not only concepts, but experiences and initiatives (including the ISIS project carried out in Egypt by the Rome Wholesale Market CAR and the maritime logistics that is being developed in northern Adriatic, in Venice and Trieste ports). During the Forum business contacts have also been developed, as in the spirit of our initiative.

Therefore, the balance is positive, although the road ahead - not only within our forums, but in general - is huge in order to enhance the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the fresh produce industry, which is a traditional aspect and still fundamental for the economy of the region. We must knock down provincialism and fences. For our part, we are wide open to share this path with others, whatever Mediterranean nationality they belong to.

Antonio Felice
Green Med Forum project manager

See the PHOTOGALLERY

Download the Conference Agendas 2010:

Conference Agenda 2010

Session 1 - Integrated Logistics in the Mediterranean

Session 2 - Promotion of Typical and Quality Products

Session 3 - Large-scale Retail Distribution in the Mediterranean

Workshop on Cassava