The National Biodiversity Strategy 2030 (SNB) is Italy’s main framework for implementing the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, a core pillar of the European Green Deal.
Its goal is to halt biodiversity loss and restore natural and agricultural ecosystems, recognizing that cereal fields are also living ecosystems hosting genetic, microbial, and faunal diversity.
Agricultural Biodiversity as a Green Deal Pillar
In Europe’s Green Deal agenda, agricultural biodiversity is not just ecological — it is strategic.
Local wheat varieties and traditional landraces enhance climate resilience, reduce pesticide dependence, and often provide better nutritional quality.
Accordingly, the SNB 2030 aligns with the CAP’s National Strategic Plan (PSN), which allocates funding for:
- in situ and ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources;
- creation of regional seed banks;
- and the promotion of traditional varieties suited for organic or integrated farming.
This approach turns biodiversity into an economic opportunity: farmers who preserve heritage varieties can access additional payments and regional quality labels.
From Conservation to Renewal: Italian Wheat Initiatives
Italy has become a European leader in cereal genetic conservation.
Key initiatives include:
- the FAO-RGV National Network, coordinating plant genetic resource preservation;
- the CREA Gene Bank in Bari, safeguarding over 4,000 accessions of durum and soft wheat from across the Mediterranean;
- and projects such as Re-LiveWheat and Biodur, which reintroduce historical Italian varieties (e.g., Senatore Cappelli, Verna) into sustainable local supply chains.
These programs blend genetics, tradition, and innovation, using pangenomic tools to identify genes that improve heat and drought tolerance.
SNB 2030 Action Lines
The Strategy operates through five key areas:
- Protection of agricultural genetic diversity, reinforcing regional variety registries;
- Networks of “custodian farmers”, preserving traditional cereal species in active cultivation;
- Payments for ecosystem services (PES) supporting biodiversity;
- Food education and awareness on the value of local cereals;
- Monitoring and biodiversity indicators, managed by ISPRA and CREA.
The aim is not static preservation but living circulation of diversity — keeping biodiversity alive in fields, markets, and diets.
From Genes to Governance: Cultural and Climatic Heritage
Cereal biodiversity is both a genetic capital and a cultural legacy.
In the Mediterranean — cradle of wheat and human agriculture — varietal diversity is now a tool of adaptation and identity.
By 2030, Italy’s challenge will be to embed biodiversity within mainstream agricultural policy, making it a cornerstone of climate resilience and food sovereignty.
Sources:
- Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security (2024). National Biodiversity Strategy 2030.
- European Commission (2024). EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
- CREA (2025). Management and Valorization of Wheat Genetic Resources in Italy.
- FAO (2024). Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources.
- RGV-FAO (2024). Italian Database of Plant Genetic Resources.