16th National Day of Mediterranean Nurseries

On Saturday, May 25, the XVI National Day of Mediterranean Nursery took place in Monopoli. This annual event, organized by ANVE in collaboration with Vivai Capitanio, was once again hosted by Vivai Capitanio. The topic discussed, “Risk Management in the Floriculture Nursery Sector in Light of Climate Change,” was of great interest to all industry operators and exceeded expectations in terms of attendance both in person and online via the association’s and nursery’s Facebook channels.

After the greetings from Leonardo Capitanio for Vivai Capitanio and ANVE President Luigi Pagliani, Senator Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra, unable to participate physically, sent a video message. He emphasized the importance of the floriculture nursery sector and the current Government’s commitment to creating a legal framework that clearly defines the supply chain, providing political and institutional legitimacy to a sector in great need of it. He also appreciated the day’s topic, reassured the audience about the Ministry’s commitment in this direction, and praised the Stefano Capitanio Award, highlighting the importance of providing opportunities for young people.

Interesting contributions were also offered by Oronzo Milillo, President of ODAF (Order of Agronomists of Bari), Giorgio Bozzi, National Councillor of CNPAPAL (National College of Agricultural Experts and Graduates), and Angelo Annese, Mayor of Monopoli, who brought greetings from the sunny host city.

The work began in earnest under the masterful guidance of Gianluca Buemi, Agronomist and Secretary Councillor of CONAF. Antonio Frigioni, Insurance & Agrometeorology Manager, was the first to speak, presenting Hypermeteo, an innovative startup that processes high-resolution datasets and scenarios for meteorological and climate change monitoring, and Radarmeteo, an innovative SME that develops platforms and services for managing weather-climatic operations. His presentation, “Climate Change in the Mediterranean Basin,” highlighted rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns, focusing on the climate change adaptation tools provided by Radarmeteo.

Next, Francesco Martella, President of CESAR (Center for Agricultural and Rural Development), discussed agricultural risk management within the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), illustrating the progress of the Italian system and initiatives to simplify access procedures to insurance policies, especially for businesses in the Center-South. He also introduced the National Mutual Fund for Catastrophic Events (AGRCAT), a new tool to compensate for damages from frost, drought, and floods.

Nilton Meoni, from the Agriculture Department of AIB All Insurance Broker, emphasized the growing importance for floriculture nurseries to protect their assets against climate damage, highlighting the evolution of insurance policies specific to the nursery sector, a flagship for insurance companies.

Patrizia Angelini, Deputy General Director of BCC Alberobello, Sammichele, and Monopoli, concluded the first part of the day by reiterating the importance of reviving floriculture in Southern Italy through practical management of credit access. She confirmed the cooperative’s commitment to facilitating favorable credit conditions for local businesses.

After a pleasant greeting from Paolo Notaristefano of NuovaFlesan, who also wanted to be present as a sponsor of the day, the morning continued with the awarding of the “Stefano Capitanio” Degree Award, established to honor the work of the founding member and aimed at young graduates. This year, the number of theses and participating universities increased, indicating the growing national relevance of the Award. The winning theses, selected by the technical jury including Barbara De Lucia from the University of Bari, were:

• Bachelor’s Category: Roberta Cassataro from the University “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti – Pescara – bachelor’s degree in economics and management – with the thesis “Implementation of a Management Control System: The Case of ‘Vivai De Laurentiis.'”
• Master’s Category: Giulia Savoretti from the University of Pisa – master’s degree in “Design and Management of Urban Green Spaces and Landscape” – with the thesis “Greenways as a Sustainable Response to Urban Growth. The Case Study of the Design Competition for the ‘Redevelopment of the Via de’ Barberi Roadway in Grosseto.'”

The event concluded with a commemorative photo, a testament to the success of the XVI National Day of Mediterranean Nursery.