Founded in recent 2022 by agronomists Stefano Amadeo and Stefano Zaninotti, Diversity Ark fits into the panorama of agricultural certifications as a real revolution in this area.
In fact, it approaches agriculture with a new philosophy of thought , proposing a holistic vision that aims to fully protect the biodiversity present in the field, preventing the ecosystem from being irreparably altered by human intervention.
The name itself is a declaration of intent, as the two founders of the certification explain: “ Ark symbolizes a clear reference to Noah's ark, the first positive example of safeguarding all living species, men and animals, and in our case also of plants. The certification mark, applicable on the label, reflects precisely this vision. For life to continue to run its course, everyone's survival is necessary, each organism is indispensable for the balance and life of all the others."
The project, registered with EUIPO and certified at European level by CSQA , was born after years of study and collaboration with various agricultural companies and producer associations.
The project intends to pursue three objectives: to fully respect the biodiversity of the soil and environment through a holistic approach to agriculture.
What is aimed at is the all-round protection of the elements that interface with the agricultural process, from the state of well-being of the soil, to the certification of the faunal biodiversity of the plot and the wealth of plants .
The second is the scientific approach to analysis and monitoring , in order to ensure consistency in field checks and rigor in subsequent analyzes on the basis of which the reliability of the certification is based.
The analyzes address three aspects of biodiversity:
soil sampling,
analysis of insects and arthropods
analysis of floristic biodiversity.
The third fundamental point is to renew and improve the bureaucratic certification process by streamlining the procedures and administrative management , which is often very problematic and complex. Certified companies must comply with an innovative regulation which, among other aspects, does not allow the use of herbicides and prevents the use of pesticides that are risky for human health.
Diversity Ark is to date the only certification in Italy that includes a special section within the controls for the presence or absence of plastics in the soil , a problem that increasingly affects agriculture.
Meticulous attention that annually leads to the drafting of an evaluation sheet of the quality and degree of naturalness of the cultivated areas, which is based on 10 indicators , to determine the state of health of the soil and crops.
Ethical and worthy not only in words, but also in deeds: from June 2023 Diversity Ark, with the entry of the new partner and director Luigi Vignaduzzo, is converted into a Benefit Company, thus marking an evolution of the very concept of the company, going to integrate into its corporate purpose, in addition to profit objectives, the aim of having a positive impact on society and the biosphere, allocating by statute a part of the profit to development and cooperation projects in the agricultural and environmental fields.
The companies that today have chosen to undertake the certification process with Diversity Ark are: Le Piane Boca, Az. Agricola Inama Stefano, Az. Agricola Isola Augusta, Az.Agricola Meroi, La Torre alle Tolfe, Vecchie Terre di Montefili, Gradis' ciutta, Tenuta Stella, Tenuta Luisa, Vinarija Kozlović. (Source: https://www.winemeridian.com/ )