Project "PPILOW"
Poultry and Pig Low-input and Organic production systems' Welfare
DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE:
The PPILOW project adopts a multi-actor approach to co-construct solutions aimed at improving the welfare of poultry and pigs raised in organic and low-input free-range farming systems.
The PPILOW project is particularly ground-breaking for two main reasons: first, it adopts a participatory approach, which involves all actors of the supply chain, from farmers to consumers, citizens, scientists and politicians, to propose and study solutions aimed at improving animal welfare. Second, the project provides a combination of practical solutions for welfare improvement, which can be employed on a pan-European basis and can be adjusted case by case depending on the expectations of the citizens and the target market (national legislation or consumer’s preferences).
More specifically, PPILOW will co-create, in cooperation with end-users, not only tools to self-assess animal welfare, but also strategies and innovative breeding and reproductive techniques to improve it, thus avoiding mutilations (castration of piglets or beak-trimming of chickens) and removal of the male chicks at one day of age, while also promoting positive behaviours and improving the health and robustness of both species.
PPILOW will carry out experimental studies to find innovative solutions and will test the most promising ones in the company. Multi-criteria analyses of the most efficient breeding and reproductive strategies will be carried out to assess their economic, social and environmental impact on the basis of the “One Welfare” concept, which embraces sustainability objectives and pays particular attention to animal and human welfare.
In addition, economic models will be created to ease the use of high-quality products developed by the PPILOW project with the aim of improving the welfare of organic and low-input free-range farming systems for poultry and pigs.
Finally, to ensure the rapid implementation of the project’s results by end-users i, PPILOW will organize proper dissemination activities (such as training, videos recorded by partners in the field, EIP abstracts …) and will promote the close cooperation of national professional groups all over Europe to facilitate change.
ACTIVITIES OF VSF ITALIA:
VSF will support Slow Food in engaging farmers and consumers in co-creation of solutions to improve the welfare of poultry and pigs raised in organic and low-input free-range farming systems; they will also provide training on innovative solutions in breeding and self-assessment tools in selected countries (France, Italy and Romania).
Publications:
21/04/2022 – Ppilow Project: animal welfare can be measured with an app. Article by Slow Food Italy.
2022 – Beyond welfare: farm animals deserve respect.
The position paper of Slow Food Italia on breeding, in which VSF experts Anna Zuliani and Pietro Venezia collaborated.
