What mechanical production is needed to feed the planet?
Expo2015_Research project and teaching activities
Supervised by Margherita Russo
Department of Economics Marco Biagi, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
12th October 2014; Rev. 30th April 2015
The design idea
Expo 2015 "Feeding the planet, Energy for Life" addessed themes widely recognized as essential to the future of humanity: agriculture, sustainability and food on a global scale.
Although this is a worldwide objective, it is well known that in many countries food emergencies are linked to social tensions, ethnic conflicts, rampant poverty and therefore to the essential need to feed the body with healthy food and the mind with education, rights and opportunities to have a job and a decent income.
In this process, understanding which mechanical technologies should be used is of primary importance for agricultural production (from the use of tractors to operating machines for the different agricultural supply chains), but also for the various stages of processing, storage and packaging, food transport, as well as for the reuse of agricultural processing waste and processing industries.
In Italy, a significant part of this mechanical production takes place in Emilia-Romagna and in the northern regions of Italy. The economic relations that these territories have established, with some of the countries that need these technologies, show the attention and ability to offer a contribution in the direction proposed by Expo2015.
The research project "What mechanical production is needed to feed the planet?” proposes a reflection that, starting from Expo2015, concerns the effects of "mechanical production to feed the planet" on the economy of our country, and the opportunity for Europe to present itself for a vast area of the Mediterranean, but also of Africa and Asia, as a strategic partner.
In particular, the project addresses the issue by considering, in different production contexts, mechanical technologies, organisational structures and networks of skills that are most appropriate from the point of view of environmental, economic and social sustainability to help achieve the goal of nourishing the planet.
Starting from the data from MIT's Atlas of Economic Complexity, it is intended to reconstruct the picture of the individual segments of the supply chain and the relative weight of Italy and the various European countries. The relations between these and the other sectors of mechanics in Italy have already been studied in previously published works on census data in a long-term perspective, but it is necessary to update those results, to focus them on the various segments of the supply chain, to interpret the changes that occurred after the 2008 crisis.
Besides the analysis of available data, a phase of the research project includes about thirty interviews with companies from Emilia Romagna and from the regions of northern Italy, in order to address a specific theme: the ability of our production system to offer solutions for environmental, social and organizational sustainability objectives of the technologies necessary to nourish the planet. The objective is to outline challenges and strategies that the different actors can put into practice.
The reflection proposed in this project concerns some of the key issues in terms of economic development: on the one hand, the capital goods industry is in fact at the basis of the development processes that are essential for acquiring autonomy in long-term growth, and on the other hand, the food industries are the key to economic independence. We also know that technology and the training of appropriate skills, not just technical skills, are requiredto follow this path. Therefore, there are many related issues, which will be analysed and for which ideas will be provided for both business and public policy strategies.
Project partners and collaborators
The project avails itself of the partnership of ASTER, CNA of Modena and Fondazione Democenter and a group of manufacturing and service companies in the various technological and dimensional segments, as well as economic operators and organizations that triggered profound changes in the food supply chain. Their involvement concerns not only support in the research phase, but also in the presence at the workshop which will conclude the first phase of analysis of the results in May 2015.
ABL srl, production of fruit processing machines
Aerodron, Drones
Coop Balancers, weighing instruments and technologies
Crown Aerosols Italia, spray cans for whipped cream
Delin Elettronica srl, PLC also for the food sector (project for a roasting plant)
Evar srl, plastic injection moulds for the food industry
Ferrari Bruno & c. snc, works for machinery for the agri-food sector
Giugni srl, marking and printing systems also for the food sector
Lombardini-Koeler, Motors
Modelleria Modenese, tractor models
Ocmis Watering spa, Production of self-propelled sprinklers, rain wings and motor-pumps
Officina Maccaferri srl, supplier for agricultural and food processing machinery
Phema srl, design for packaging automation sector
PTL srl, maxi bins for the food industry
Sarm srl, precision mechanical parts for tractors and ter movement machines
Tecnomec Borghi, automations
In carrying out the research, the project saw the collaboration of the students of the course of Economics and Institutions of industrial clusters, Degree in Economics and International Marketing: Davide Malpighi, Angelica Mattioli, Giulia Osele, Francesca Pastorelli, Barbara Peluso, Gianluca Picariello, Martina Rondoni, Giovanna Salemi, Silvia Serventi, Aidie Tignyemb, Luca Toccaceli, Francesca Vassallo, Aneta Witek, Francesco Zanichelli. The students doing their internship, Riccardo Baroni, Matteo Botti, Flavia Marinelli, Valentina Napoli, Luca Onfiani, Riccardo Vecchi coordinated the students in the collection of documentation and carried out part of the interviews.
Activities
A report on census data and Atlas of Economic Complexity data will integrate the analysis framework on each company participating in the project, interviewed by the students. A specific study focuses on the issue of innovative services.
Besides the dissemination through seminars, workshops and possibly a conference, the documentation produced will also be used to create an online exhibition entitled "Mechanical production to feed the planet: Ideas and projects for the manufacturing renaissance in Europe". The exhibition will be an opportunity to share with a wider audience the "Travel Diary: Prohibited-do not-touch". Developed by Officina Emilia in collaboration with partner companies, the "Travel Diary" has been one of the ways to raise the interest of girls and boys on issues of industrial development in the region. The exhibition will initially have a digital version, which will be realized using the web application of the "travel diary" and as soon as possible the MOVIO web application, the online platform for virtual exhibitions created by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage.
Currently, the hypotheses put forward at the beginning of the project to realize the real exhibition are not feasible due to the lack of premises and resources. The exhibition, which could take advantage of the structures and fittings already used by Officina Emilia, would be enriched with exhibits, videos, images and panels created in collaboration with the companies that joined the project and will involve university students, but also schools. The exhibition is also intended to offer an opportunity for reflection on the renaissance of manufacturing that enhances ideas and projects in various fields (science, art, management, economics, technology) especially by young people, who will have to be the protagonists of that Renaissance.
The project is intended as an opportunity to consolidate and share in the scientific community, in the business world and among policy makers, a reflection in the direction of the rebirth of manufacturing in Europe. Moreover it allows the relaunching and support of production excellence, which in our country demonstrate their ability to face the challenges of complexity in development issues. Precious elements on which is possible to draw up guidelines for national and European industrial policy. These are the reasons why the project focuses on the involvement of Aster, and business associations, Tecnopoli, Chambers of Commerce of the municipal administrations.
The overall project or its sections can be realized by collecting the availability of materials, logistical support, equipment and resources made available by those who agree to the proposal.
We thank for the collaboration in the project: CNA Modena, League of Modena Cooperatives, Democenter Foundation; Stefano Colletta, Francesco Guerra, Marco Padovani, Amos Palumbo, Giulia Piscitelli, Elisabetta Zironi.