First Stakeholder Meeting in Imola, Italy

On 18 July 2024, the first Stakeholder Meeting within the EAGER Project took place, in presence, at Via Boccaccio no. 27, at the offices of the Nuovo Circondario Imolese, as well as remotely, through the online platform.

Mr. Marino Cavallo presented the EAGER project to all present, focusing on the fact that funding and subsidies from Europe are most useful when they are targeted and made known to stakeholders from the outset.

He then elaborated on the APV project topic, focusing on the combination of soil and photovoltaics and pointing out that the new legislation makes the combination possible.

He then proceeded with the presentation of the project partners and pointed out that the NCI is to develop one of the policy instruments and this will also serve to give more input to the Imola District Strategic Plan.

He finally specified that, starting from today's date, NCI's objective is to improve the ability to promote and motivate stakeholders for an ongoing collaboration on the development of project activities.

Immediately afterwards, the speeches began, and it can be said that all the speakers agreed that there is a need to increase information and training on VPA projects in order to bring the topic to the attention of farmers, especially among the small farmers considered, above all to inform them of the potential of VPA and also to inform them correctly on the procedures and installation costs, which are currently rather high and should be parametrised with their needs.

Some argued that, at present, there is a lack of concreteness on information and training and procedures, and pointed out that

1. There needs to be a willingness on the part of farmers to move towards VPAs, which needs to be stimulated and

2. It is difficult to set up plants because of the authorisation limits, which are always too long.

Mr. Alessandro Scala of Coldiretti, a farmers' federation, says the associations are not against the VPA but we must find solutions that respect agricultural production.

Incentives only go to the few, especially the big companies. So there is a need for information and training activities

Andrea Arcangeli also maintains that the VPA should not be an opportunity for speculation but an opportunity that requires information and training. Therefore the financial world, the banks, must also be sensitised to help small farmers support investments in the installation of VPA systems.

The participants in the CISL meeting focused their attention on pillars. CISL's position is to safeguard the land and possibly do some real photovoltaics. Then it is necessary to set a limit of what can be realised. In any case, a cultural discourse must be made explaining things exactly as they are from an economic, environmental and agricultural point of view. There is the problem of investment as argued by Arcangeli and above all that it is necessary to study financial channels to help small farmers and not just the big ones.

ConfAgricoltura Bologna hopes that the APV issue can be put in a positive light also in the light of the Eager project, which poses to support the territory in raising awareness.

Mr. Marino Cavallo closed the event by highlighting new opportunities and things to be done:

• involving public bodies with mayors and administrators
• identifying more and more incentives
• training credits
• financial aspects
• communicate good practices to make all stakeholders understand the importance of VPA projects.