In Samugheo, great success for the event that connected local producers with future markets . The 2024 edition of “Mojos e Marigas-Festival dell'Agroalimentare del Mandrolisai” opened this morning, organized by the Municipality to provide direct support to local companies.

In the spotlight today is the conference “Contrasting depopulation: empathetic communication, teamwork, commercial support for companies and valorization of the territory” proposed at the Murats with the aim of valorizing local companies to create opportunities for meeting and development towards new markets .

The event was organized in collaboration with the Region and co-financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, created by the Pro Loco of Samugheo and Brand Sardinia by Ramona Cherchi, an expert in country branding, sales & marketing, general and project management and communication.

For the occasion, the heads of the institutions were present in Samugheo , with in the front row the vice president of the Region, councilor for Budget and Programming, Giuseppe Meloni and the deputy of Fratelli d'Italia, Francesco Mura, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida. The regional department of Tourism, instead, was represented by Sara Olla, from the cabinet office of Franco Cuccureddu. There were also many regional councilors, in addition to a large representation of local entrepreneurs and Paolo Manca, national vice president and regional president of Federalberghi.

"This is a territory that demonstrates great dynamism , there are important resources for the new territorial projects of the previous programming, but we also have additional resources for the historical, cultural, environmental and quality of life sectors thanks to a territorial and area strategy - explained Giuseppe Meloni , vice president of the Region -. We must think in terms of the system, Samugheo has done a great job with Mojos and Marigas for a strategic initiative for agri-food and textile companies . The main problem is the long times and the bureaucratic procedures that discourage entrepreneurial initiative: we are trying to find solutions for a clean cut in bureaucracy, which makes companies lose competitiveness". And he added: "I am worried about the problem of the inability to spend compared to the mountain of resources to be used: we close with 3 and a half billion in cash due to the difficulties in the disbursement of resources, due to the inability to translate the initial allocations into commitments. We are therefore working on the programming of structural funds, especially community funds, which risk not being spent promptly".

Fratelli d'Italia MP Francesco Mura explained: « I have always admired what Samugheo has been able to do , they are an example for everyone else. We must avoid creating “non-places”, spaces incapable of expressing an identity and the best antidote is to choose to enhance and live in places capable of transmitting social identity and added value. Creating value for businesses and the economy is the path well described in Mojos and Marigas, together with the fight against depopulation: we must work to build the path for the agri-food hub, a winning development idea for Samugheo».

For her part, Sara Olla , from the cabinet office of the regional department of Tourism, Commerce and Crafts, clarified: « Mojos e Marigas is not a festival, but a territorial development plan that involves local businesses , represented by entrepreneurs who choose to invest in their territory with the quality of their products. We are working on the regional development plan, investing significant resources, to make Sardinia alive and attractive in the internal areas in all periods of the year, enhancing traditional activities taking into account the specificities of the individual production sectors». Also present was Paolo Manca, national vice president and regional president of Federalberghi. He highlighted: “Samugheo shines for craftsmanship, it is a step ahead of the others and must create a scheme that also includes hospitality, to purchase the products but with the ability to host the tourist, who becomes an ambassador of this territory and therefore of all of Sardinia, which is the only brand that we can tell the world».

Much applauded was the recorded speech by Mario Macis, a Samughese doc, professor of Economics at Johns Hopkins University, Carey Business School . Macis is also a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA). «There are American examples of successful models for the economic development of local areas characterized by very small company dimensions, such as the so-called food-hubs, shared distribution centers that facilitate the sale and distribution of local products, allowing small producers to reach very large markets – explained Macis -. Local entrepreneurs need a system that is able to support them ».

At the end of the conference, the two regional councilors Salvatore Cau (Orizzonte Comune) and Alessandro Solinas (Movimento 5 Stelle) also spoke. "Samugheo has a very high vocation for entrepreneurship and networking with an enviable unity of purpose - said Cau -. Foresight and vision are the basis of the promotion of the growth project that is expressed through the Mojos and Marigas model". "Models of development and enhancement of the local entrepreneurial fabric are strategic to curb depopulation - explained Solinas -. With Mojos and Marigas you are showing a level of perspective and love towards Samugheo that I hope will be taken as an example by many".

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