XV
preface by
Mario Monti * the political challenge of food **
Why did I feel a strong intellectual attraction for the work that the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition has been doing over the past several years? Because I believe that the enormous problem of access to food represents a synthesis of the difficulties that those who work in the fields of market competition and global governance find themselves dealing with. We live in a context in which, more or less everywhere, decisions are being made in an emergency situation. This is what happened with the financial crisis, which was followed by immediate, or almost immediate, action, and by considerable concerted efforts toward a general coordination. After all, it is obvious that no country alone, and no region of the world, alone, could solve the problems of the financial system. An awareness of an emergency surrounds the topic of access to food, as well. At least in the case of financial issues and other macroeconomic problems, we have however observed a dangerous trend: when a problem becomes a real emergency, we tend to become frightened. As a result, we are willing to give up part of our national sovereignty because we believe that cooperation is the only way to solve the problem. The minute that the problem seems to be somewhat less urgent and sensitive, on a short term basis, we tend to go back to our old ways of doing things. First of all, I should make two observations concerning specific aspects of the topic of food and the contribution that the EU, in particular, can supply. Agriculture and food, as well as food security in its financial repercussions, are infinitely more complicated problems that are more deeply rooted in our economic system and our society, with much farther reaching and longer lasting consequences. This means that, even though the solution of the financial imbalance may be daunting to achieve, solving these problems is an infinitely longer term matter, demanding a prolonged effort, because it sinks its roots deep into the structures of society. Therefore we must guard against the risk of reversibility as soon as a solution to the problem is glimpsed. In that connection, I’m optimistic about the European Union. There are 27 nations, we have decision-making bodies, institutions, and laws, as well as structures to implement those laws. Thus, the risk of reversibility, once a prob-