Italyโs agricultural minister Teresa Bellanova has expressed an interest in developing sustainable biotechnology, in the light of a milestone agreement on next-gen biotech between farmersโ organization Coldiretti and the Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics (SIGA).
โGenetically modified organisms (GMOs) are the past and their cultivation is and will remain banned in Italy,โ she [said], adding that Italy is more interested in focusing on sustainable biotechnologies such as cisgenesis and genome editing. Coldiretti, a leading organization of farmers representing more than one and a half million members in Italy, will sign a cooperation agreement with SIGA, opening up an entirely new field for the application of biotech in Italyโs farming
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According to Coldirettiโs President Ettore Prandini, these are techniques that do not involve the use of DNA foreign to the plant ….
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Regarding vine, for instance, Italy is the country with the greatest heritage of genetic diversity, explained Mario Pezzotti, member of Siga and professor of plant genetics in Verona. โThe conservation and use of this biodiversity is essential, but so is giving traditional grape varieties the genetic characteristics to counteract the attack of pathogens and [climate change],โ he said.
