Sara’s message

Often difficult times conceal within them changes that can become a precious source of inspiration.

The pandemic has become the true litmus test of the basic principles espoused in international and national agendas since 2015. From the Milan Expo 2015 (Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life) to the now globally-recognized Agenda 2030 and through to the Paris Agreement, the world has now experienced, firsthand, the degree to which the balance between humanity and nature touches food, water, soil, biodiversity, and climate change, before reverberating onto human health and the economy.

It is up to us to understand what this “being different” consists of.

This is our call to take the path towards a new direction. We urge not just a restart, but a rebirth. Three keywords should guide this rebirth:

RECONNECT

The rush towards efficiency and expediency that characterizes the current business-as-usual models leaves fundamental pieces behind. Accustomed to re-acting rather than acting thoughtfully, our contemporary society has been gradually dissociating from the complexities of life, from the ancient wisdom capable of pursuing common interests by finding a perfect balance between different interests.

We need to reconnect to the different dimensions of life, breaking down the walls between science and ecology, finance and anthropology, economy and health.

We need to weave our expertise together, by connecting farmers and entrepreneurs, producers and consumers, diplomats and youth, because only together can we effectively solve the challenges that impact us all.

Reconnecting us back to the One Health Approach means functioning again as an ecosystem, in which the relationship of all the elements constitute the real strength.

REAFFIRM

We notice beauty most through subtraction when essentials are taken away from us. This is exactly what the pandemic, and the concurrent global challenges, have accentuated by disrupting the foundations of our existence: life, health, human relationships, conviviality, access to food and natural resources, security, physical and mental well-being.

We urge a return to the essentials of life, to our roots: reaffirming human values and reinstalling the ancient relationship with Mother Earth.

The world is hungry for trust and care, for creativity and courage, for curiosity and beauty. It is time to embrace new strategies and new mindsets, those able to see the needs of humanity and the planet as two sides of the same coin.

REGENERATE

Regeneration means going beyond sustainability, to restore the whole fabric of life. And food is an incredible lever for regeneration.

Regeneration means bringing good, nutritious, and low environmental impact products back to our tables, making them accessible to all. It involves implementing platforms that make supply chains simpler and more resilient; guiding consumers’ purchasing choices by making them more aware of the impact generated by their actions; seeing the potential of resources that are still “dormant.” Regeneration means returning to a lifestyle based on seasonality, fresh and local products, those that actively preserve and enliven natural resources. It means restoring the social fabric, the convivium, sociality, inclusivity, spirituality, and rituals that play a crucial role in generating solid relationships between people. It means redeveloping sustainable forms of economy, those that are grounded in respect for the landscape, for the local territory.

It is a circle that starts from individuals giving back to society and the economy the value of beauty.

Sara Roversi

Founder of Future Food Institute