The Ambassador of Italy in Sofia, Marcello Apicella, inaugurated the traditional Week of Italian Cuisine in the World (“SCIM”) at the Italian Residence with an exclusive event dedicated to agribusiness innovation and the promotion of Italian food and wine excellence, entitled “Italian innovation in support of agribusiness development.”
“With events such as tonight’s, we aspire to strengthen the dialogue between Italian excellence with Bulgarian institutions and trade representatives, in order to nurture cooperation between our countries, which already share important projects and brilliant bilateral cooperation in the sector,” Ambassador Apicella stressed.
SCIM, now in its 10th edition, is the annual event organized by the Farnesina to promote culinary traditions and quality Italian food and agricultural products.
The inaugural event opened with a greeting from Ambassador Apicella and a presentation by experts from the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food on the status of the digitization process of the local agricultural sector. The program continued with a presentation by Dr. Roberto Mancini, CEO of Diagram S.p.A., an Italian agritech reality participated by CDP Equity (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group), Trilantic Europe and BF Agricola, which has consolidated itself as a leader in the European agritech sector through the provision of services in the fields of precision agriculture, irrigation sensing, soil mapping and resource management at the service of public administrations. During the presentation, Diagram Administrator Roberto Mancini addressed an audience of insiders from public administration and associations representing the agribusiness sector, providing insights into opportunities for modernization of the agricultural sector and more efficient use of water resources, issues strongly felt in Bulgaria.
“We are honored to have been invited to represent Italian agritech innovation in such a prominent institutional context,” Mancini said. “Bulgaria is a rapidly evolving market and we believe that collaboration between Italian technologies and local agricultural businesses can generate immediate value. The digital transition is no longer a future prospect, but a strategic lever for the competitiveness and sustainability of agrifood supply chains.”
ICE Director D’Andrea, who spoke during the evening, recalled that “Diagram Group represents a Made in Italy excellence in the agritech sector, capable of bringing concrete innovation to agrifood supply chains. The presence of CDP and the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture, together with the main Bulgarian businesses in the sector, confirms the strategic value of the initiative. Events like this are the most effective way to bring Italian technologies closer to the Bulgarian market and foster new growth opportunities for Italian companies.”
This was followed by a 360-degree immersive experience for the guests, thanks to an interactive tour created using advanced technologies and virtual reality.
The evening ended with a tasting of excellent products of Italian gastronomy, prepared by Chef Carlo Luzzani and accompanied by the celebrated wines of the Friuli-based Fantinel winery.
The event was attended by, among others, the President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tsvetan Simeonov, and the heads of the Executive Forestry Agency, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, the Association of Meat Processors, the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processors, and the Association of Cereal Producers. Also present were a large number of representatives of Sistema Italia in Bulgaria. The event was organized by the Embassy, the Cultural Institute and the ICE Agency in Sofia in cooperation with Confindustria Bulgaria and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria.
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