Despar brings new areas of solidarity farming to seven Italian regions

Despar, as part of the Ortofrutteto Solidale Diffuso campaign by AzzeroCO2 and Legambiente, is bringing new areas of solidarity farming to seven Italian regions, combining biodiversity protection and inclusion, while also offering concrete training and employment opportunities to people in vulnerable situations.

The project

The project began yesterday at the “Lorusso e Cutugno” Prison in Turin and will involve 7 territories throughout Italy, covering approximately 26.000 sq m of land, with the planting of approximately 3.400 plants, including fruit trees, saffron bulbs, lavender, aromatic plants and vegetable plants. In addition, training and inclusion programmes will be launched and supported, involving prisoners, people with disabilities or in other vulnerable situations, and victims of exploitation, thanks to collaboration with 7 third-sector organisations in the regions.

Where possible, cultivation will be accompanied by activities involving the processing and enhancement of the products, creating supply chains in which people can acquire skills and take on an active role within their communities.

Building on the Bosco Diffuso

The initiative represents an evolution of the Despar Bosco Diffuso, a project through which Despar Italia has already chosen to invest in environmental regeneration and ecosystem protection and which, since its launch in 2023, has led to the planting of more than 4.500 trees in various Italian regions and the creation of new green areas. By joining the Ortofrutteto Solidale Diffuso campaign, this initiative further strengthens its social dimension, through a project that promotes cultivation-related activities as an opportunity for training, inclusion and participation for the people involved.

The comment

“With these seven projects, we want to give concrete expression to Despar’s commitment to caring for the regions in which we operate and the people who live there,” declared Filippo Fabbri, General Manager of Despar Italia. “The project’s widespread nature reflects our way of being close to communities: networking different organisations and highlighting their distinctive features in order to generate an impact that is both environmental and social. It is a journey that builds on and develops the experience gained through initiatives already undertaken by Despar, such as the Bosco Diffuso and the Case delle Api, strengthening a commitment that over time has resulted in concrete measures to protect ecosystems. With this new project, we are adding an even stronger social component to this journey, bringing to the regions an experience that combines care for the environment with the creation of new opportunities for people”.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.