The European Union imports a large quantity of raw materials of the livestock feeding sector, especially soybean (85% of the soybean, 24% of corn and 8% of wheat and corn consumed), reaching almost 14 million tons of soya beans per year. The materials imported to feed our animals have a huge impact on climate change and on the reduction of the regional breeding autonomy.

Starting from these premises the European SUSTAvianFEED project presents tangible approaches for a more sustainable livestock sector, by focusing on innovative and sustainable poultry feedings programs.

Over the past few years, the project, which has engaged universities, research centers and producer communities in Spain, Italy, Tunisia and Turkey, has focused on finding alternatives that can offer animal feed that is both innovative and sustainable, providing new tools to small local agricultural economies in Mediterranean areas and strengthening their resilience. The project focuses mainly on local breeds, better adapted to their native climates, which are particularly advantageous for small-scale agriculture, even of marginalized contexts, where they can generate additional income and provide food for small local communities. 

The core idea is to emphasize the creation of an innovative nutritional formula for poultry farming, with insects playing a key role in a model of circular economy.  The main objectives are the reduction of the environmental impact of livestock food, the improvement of animal welfare and health and the promotion of a multi-actor's approach, boosting gender equality and women empowerment.

During Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2024, Slow Food flagship event taking place in Torino from September 26 to 30, representatives of the organizations involved in the project will participate in the conference Feeding the future: alternative solutions for sustainable poultry farming. Attendees will gain insights into how these practices can contribute to a more resilient, eco-friendly food sector, especially in Mediterranean regions. The event will bring together industry experts, researchers, and producers to exchange ideas and discuss strategies for the future of poultry farming.

Speakers will be Achille Schiavone, Department of Veterinary Sciences (DSV) University of Turin – "The value of breed biodiversity and its role in sustainable breeding"; Pietro Venezia, technician for Slow Food Italy – "Agroecology in poultry farming"; Juan Antonio Cortes, Entomo (Spain) – "Larvae as a resource";  Nacyb Allouchi and Hayet Taboui Rayhana NGO (Tunisia) – "The self-production of larvae"; Özlem Karahan UYSAL, EGE University (Turkey) – "New Labeling for Sustainable Poultry Farming: Comparative Findings on Consumer Perspective";  Lahila De Sola Carrón (ALIA) – "Living Lab approach and business opportunities for the sector" (ING). Moderator: Marta Gariglio, Department of Veterinary Sciences (DSV).

The event will also be the occasion for representatives of the project to meet, discuss current challenges and find common solutions for the future of sustainable poultry farming.

Slow Food is partner of the SUSTAvianFEED project together with eight other partners across four Mediterranean countries since 2021, in the framework of the PRIMA programme, supported by the European Union. The project, which sees the collaboration of the Sociedad Agraria de Transformacion, the Entomo Consulting S.L. and the University of Murcia in Spain, the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity and the University of Turin in Italy, the Institut Superieur Agronomique de Chott Mariem and the Rayhana Ngo in Tunisia, and the EGE University in Turkey.

Learn more about the conference: https://2024.terramadresalonedelgusto.com/en/event/feeding-the-future-alternative-solutions-for-sustainable-poultry-farming/

More information about the project: https://www.sustavianfeed.eu/project/