The United Nations has awarded a total of 68 recognitions in the agri-food sector, including five to Italy which confirm its culinary excellence in the world.

The Italian food industry conquers a new title thanks to its cuisine. The Peninsula is at the top of the ranking of recognitions designated in the agri-food sector by Unesco, with 5 titles out of a total of 68 awarded worldwide. The ranking emerges from the report on food and culture, presented last week on the occasion of a UN conference on the future of the Mediterranean diet.

Five Italian agri-food recognitions listed as UNESCO heritage

The category of agro-food recognition aims to protect traditional cultural practices and know-how, alongside sites and monuments.
The Italy of Excellence received as its first recognition that of its Mediterranean diet, a food practice that has become a cultural and identity phenomenon of a lifestyle. The art of the Neapolitan pizza maker was listed as a UNESCO Intangible Heritage in 2017, transhumance in 2019, the search for truffles last year. Recognition that is added to that of the agricultural practice of growing vines on the island of Pantelleria.

Italy is positioned ahead of Morocco, which has four UNESCO titles, Turkey and Azerbaijan, which each have three titles, and Belgium, Spain, Tunisia, Japan, Korea, Mexico and France, which all have two recognitions.

The defense of Italian agro-food

The ministry recently renamed under the new legislature of “Agriculture and Food Sovereignty” intends to defend the Italian agri-food sector, in particular as it is heading towards a record 60 billion turnover abroad thanks to the ‘ ‘export and because 17% of tourists choose their destination in the Peninsula based on its wine and gastronomy.
But agri-food is also a value which, beyond cooking, is transformed into culture.