The tentacles of the "octopus" are getting longer and longer in the food sector. Agromafie's latest report has shed light on the new methods of the organized crime, increasingly attracted - and increasingly infiltrated - in catering and distribution. In the next edition of Festival of Food Journalism, the theme will be discussed in a panel entitled "The mafias in the catering and distribution. How a problem of legality and food security is represented in the media ". The appointment is Thursday 22 February from 18,10 to the Torino Incontra Congress Center.
The Director of Free Information will participate in the discussion Lorenzo Frigerio, the Republic journalist Enrico Bellavia, the food safety manager Rolando Manfredini and the winners of the Morrione Award Leonardo Filippi, Maurizio Franco and Maria Panariello.
This confirms the commitment of the Festival to the forefront in keeping attention focused on a very delicate subject, which directly involves citizens. Even more so journalists, who play a central role in spreading a culture of legality.
Moreover, always with regard to the culture of legality, at the inaugural panel of the event, on Thursday at 9,30, the prosecutor will speak Gian Carlo Caselli, President of the Scientific Committee of the Observatory on Crime in Agriculture and on the Agri-food System.
The qualitative leap in the involvement of the mafias in the agri-food sector is worrying: with the direct entry of elements linked to crime in the corporate structures of distribution and catering groups it closes - in a worrying manner - a circle of malfeasance. Mafia, 'ndrangheta and camorra they already control most of the supply chain, from production to transport. What emerges from the Agromafie report is certainly bad news, both in terms of fighting illegality and food security. Because the more the involvement of the mafia in the sector increases, the more the difficulties in controlling the quality of food increase and, consequently, the risks for consumers.
Understanding how to deal with this thorny issue and starting a confrontation between communication professionals and other civil society representatives becomes fundamental to conduct a truly effective fight against malfeasance: the next Festival of Food Journalism will therefore be a precious opportunity.
