A Correct Valorisation of Farming and Agro-Industrial Waste

Abstract

Abstract. Farming and agro-industrial waste can represent a resource when destined to energy production and they can contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emission, to improve energetic efficiency and increase renewable energies. 6 stations are already working in Calabria for agro-zootechnical biomasses and agro-industrial waste transformation, in compliance with 91/676/CEE, Nitrates Directive, then D.L. 152/99 and D.M. 7 April 2006, redefined by D.M. 6-7-2012 It reduced incentives, with the aim of implementing small sized stations powered by recyclable byproducts, which are easier to manage especially in the form of consortium by medium and small sized companies that would otherwise be excluded from the market. An appropriate use of pruning waste would also mean turning a problem into an opportunity if, instead of burning it and producing high levels of CO 2 (as forbidden by D.L. "terra dei fuochi") it could be destined to produce a new kind of power source, biochar, with a carbon negative function. Concerning the market of carbon credits derivable from pruning waste and from the production of more than 130.000 t of biochar (which, differently from the forestry sector, hasn't been accepted in farming yet), the potential wealth on the regional territory could vary from 5 to 11 million € according to the set price. Establishing a more competitive and sustainable source of energy is one of the most important challenges that our Country has to face today. This sector plays a key role in the economic development of the Country, not only as a distinctive feature of low cost energy production, limited impact on environment and high utilization, but also as an element of growth per se, with a boost in ecologic economy thanks to a predominant use of renewable resources, recycling and curbing domestic or industrial waste, according to Green Economy parameters. PresentationCalabria covers a surface of 15.000 km2, divided into 5 provinces, 409 Municipalities, 98% of which are rural, and there are over 2.000.000 inhabitants. Calabria has a heterogeneous orographic profile, which consists of 49% hills, 42% mountains and only 9% plains.Surplus value is 2,1% of the national wealth The percentage above is distributed as follows: agriculture 4, 1% (national average rate 2, 0%), industry 13, 7% (24, 6%) services 82, 2% (73, 4%). Concerning the employment rate reported in each sector, 10,6 % work in agriculture (compared to 6,8% average rate in southern Italy and 3,7% average national rate), l'8,7% in manufacture (compared to 13,1 and 20,1%), 8,1% in construction (8,1% and 7,7%), 72,6% in services (72% and 68,5%) [1].Taking into account both the employment rate and the related income, the importance of the primary sector is evident However, this is not to be ascribed to as a supposed power of the agricultural sector, which is featured by an extreme scattering of companies; on the contrary, it is due to a clear structural weakness of the other productive sectors.