Alimos – Alimenta la Salute Soc. Coop.  –  Italy

Alimos – Alimenta la salute soc. coop was funded in 1967 with the name Centrale Ortofrutticola.In 2009 Alimos – Alimenta la salute changed its name and focused its activity more on the health and good foods’ habits through project (eveninternational) dedicated to agri-food promotion i.e. School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, the European programme managed by National Authority,dedicated to primary school children.Alimos worked on it as service provider in the accompanying measures.The primary aim of the school fruit scheme (SFS) is to produce sustained increases in children’s consumption of fruit and vegetables.Also in 1997, Alimos and several Forlì – Cesena province agricultural entrepreneurs created the “network of fattorie didattiche romagnole”.Alimos is a coop made by 9 members, there are also association and service societies and very important societies of the Italian agri-food world.It is made up of agronomist, agrotechincs and project professionals, with the mission of fostering the innovation processes of the fruit and vegetablesector, to support environmental protection and to spread a new food culture.All the workers have regular contract FT or PT.For some project Alimos asks the help of external professionals.The main activities are:- Ideation and management of actions to promote a new food culture, increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetable and other healthy foods inItaly and Europe.- Actions in line with the recommandations of health institutions aimed at preventing and combating obesity and diseases linked to poor nutrition andunhealthy lifestyles.- Recovery and development of the Mediterranean diet, seasonality, typicality, origin of agro-food products.- Development of research and innovation path that, starting from the changing needs of the consumer, can become a work too for the associatedcompanies and/or research centres.- Promotion of a closer link between producers and consumers through knowledge of the “from the field to the table” food path, visits to the OpenFarms and Didactics, the knowledge of local products and biodiversity.- Promoting responsible behavior related to the problem of food waste through workshops, traditional and modern educational tools (socialnetworking)More information about singular projects: www.alimos.it; www.fattoriedidattiche.net

Alimos’s activity in the field of food education is centred on the close link between agriculture – nutrition – health – environment and aims to create agreater link between agriculture and people, to enhance the countryside, the world rural production and environmentally friendly production.Since 1998 Alimos has been collaborating with the Emilia Romagna Regione as a technical support for the “open educational farms” project and anorganizational secretariat for various educational activities.As for Educational Farms, Alimos’ activity was – and is – one of the most consistent at national level.In 2000 Alimos created the fist national census, financed by the Ministry of the Environment, with the publication of the map of Italian EducationalFarms.Since 2005 Alimos has promoted “Frutta Snack”, a project aimed at the consumption of healthy foods and in particular fruit and vegetable, throughinnovative methods: fruit ready to use in convenient trays available in dedicated vending machines.This project has been adopted as a national pilot experience by the Ministries of Education and Health.Since 2009 Alimos has proposed the Accompanying measures of the European program “School fruit and vegetable scheme”.The program aims to increase children’s consumption of fruit and vegetables and to implement initiatives that support more correct eating habits andmore balanced nutrition, in the phase in which they form their eating habits.The basic themes of the Alimos initiatives:- The relationship between agricultural production and environment- The ecological and hygienic- sanitary characteristics of the products obtained with environmentally friendly technics- The link between food, environment, and health in the path from field to table- The enhancement of diversity and variety (of local products, of food cultures, of human activities, etc.)Alimos organizes also training course aimed at professionals in the agri- food sector, agricultural entrepreneurs, representatives of educationalfarms, teachers, animators and educators interested in operating in the field of food education.The educational and sensorial workshop are one of the activities of Alimos aimed both to children and adults (parents).Through active involvement, Alimos, wants to guide children in practical activities that stimulate curiosity, reflection, critical spirit, “learning by doing”.The activities, with the support of the teaching materials prepared, are carried out in class, on farms or in structure of the agri-food chain.Since 1993 alimos has promoted, in collaboration with public and private bodies, twenty-four competitions, within the various educational projects,mainly aimed at schools but also citizen and consumers.Since 1990 Alimos has created various different kind of educational materials for children and adults (traditional, digital, etc.) to support sustainableagriculture and conscious food consumption.The activities that Alimos has been carrying on since the beginning has a strong impact with society items like consumption model and socialinclusion, because food is for all and production have to be sustainable.
Alimos is member of CEAS (Centro di Educazione alla Sostenibilità) of the Municipality of Cesena(http://www.comune.cesena.fc.it/ambiente/forumassociazioni).In this contest has been developed numbers of project for children and adults even about “food waste”.Mr Massimo Brusaporci, director of ALIMOS soc. coop, has a BSc in Agricultural Science, MSc Agro-food economy, PhD in Environment Economicsand Appraisal. Expert in managing integrated educational project and communication and marketing campaigns, with specific reference to the agri-food sector. He has overseen the preparation and coordination of the management of two project ex-regulation (EC) 501/2006: “Fruitylife” (2013-2015), aimed at informing consumers about safety of fruit and vegetables; “F&V scoprila, gustala, sceglila” (2013-2016), aimed at spreadinghealthier consumption practices (food education) among young people.He also overseen all the activities concerning the Fruit and Vegetables and Milk Scheme in behalf of the active members (winners fo the ministry call)of Alimos.Ms Annalisa Brighi, is a senior project manager. She coordinated the project “Qui zero spreco” and “Che cavolo mangi” both aimed to educatepeople (children and parents) to adopt a new vision of food (sustainable, good/healthy, etc.). She is expert of educational work hops and didacticfarms.Mr. Filippo Mazzoni, BSc in Natural Science, is a senior project manager. He deals with the management of relationships with schools and theoperational management of the services concerning the Fruit and Vegetables and Milk Scheme.