Agriculture and Supply Chain
FORMING COLLABORATIONS WITH SCIENTIFIC PARTNERS, ALONG WITH DIGITAL TOOLS, CUTTING-EDGE SYSTEMS AND THE SKILLS OF OUR AGRONOMISTS, IS THE ROUTE TO GOOD, CLEAN, FAIR FOOD.
The sustainability of the agricultural supply chain is one of the main goals in Andriani’s strategy, and we are increasingly attentive to the impact generated by the sector and aware of the need to introduce tools and practices for more conscious, responsible agricultural production.
strengths
Respect for the Suolo
Andriani promotes an approach to farming that protects the health of the soil – a crucial aspect for the sustainability and resilience of all agri-food systems, in many forms:
- The cultivation of legumes, as well as reducing water consumption, also prevents soil erosion and increases its fertility, improving the yield of the following crops planted in rotation. A source of protein with a low environmental impact, legumes help to diversify soil use and are a valuable ally in protein transition.
- Digital systems, when combined with the principles of precision agriculture, offer numerous solutions to improve the efficiency of farming practices: monitoring through sensors and weather stations allows farmers to optimise the use of inputs (water, fertilisers, pesticides etc.) and minimise environmental impact, intervening only at the necessary times, places and levels.
- Regenerative agriculture, which minimises the use of invasive, high-impact techniques, favours the development of ecosystem services (such as pollination), supports biodiversity and improves soil health.
THE ITALIAN LEGUME PRODUCTION CHAIN
In 2017, a project was launched involving farmers and Terre Bradaniche (part of the Andriani Group and the location for the reception and primary processing of raw materials). Today, Andriani leads the most widespread legume production chain in Italy (chickpeas, lentils and peas), primarily located in Apulia and Basilicata.
Andriani and Terre Bradaniche put the skills of qualified agronomists and their own equipment at the service of an Italian supply chain that is monitored at all stages (planting, harvest, transport and quality control).
Furthermore, through our collaboration with xFarm Technologies, Andriani monitors agricultural activities and their environmental impact (calculating their carbon footprint, water footprint, acidification and eutrophication), while providing training and support for farmers in their transition to digital systems.
Control activities have the mission of creating value at different stages of the chain, which are also reflected in the production and sale of products with unique characteristics.
Terre Bradaniche sends its staff to the fields to carry out visual checks and take soil samples.
How the Terre Bradaniche supply chain works
Field inspection
Terre Bradaniche sends its staff to the fields to carry out visual checks and take soil samples: based on the soil composition it is possible to determine which crops and seed types are most suitable.
Harvest
After threshing, the raw material is transported to tanks at Terre Bradaniche, and 2 controls are performed on arrival:
• Test 1: humidity and impurity
• Test 2: weighing
Successivamente la materia prima viene After this, the raw material is discharged into a tank, transported via conveyor belts, and loaded into sacks using a hoist. It remains here for multi-residual tests, performed for every lot and every client. If the tests conform to requirements, the raw material undergoes preservative treatment with CO2 (sterilisation) and stays in quarantine for 20/25 days.
Planting and crop cycle
In this phase, a lot of support is given to farmers to evaluate which crop is best for planting, with monitoring activities for the entire crop cycle, until harvest. The relationship with the farmer is fundamentally important, as it determines the effective quality of the raw material: if the farmer carefully follows the process, the raw materials arriving at Terre Bradaniche will be excellent quality, which is of mutual benefit for both parties.
Cleaning
After this period of time, the sacks are emptied and cleaned. The raw material is sent to the processing plant, where it is mechanically cleaned to remove foreign bodies and impurities.
Quality Control
After this phase, a visual check is performed by specialised staff. If the result is positive, a coacervo, a mixed batch sample, is taken and sent for analysis at the Andriani Quality Control Department, to perform a gluten test.
Quality and Traceability
Andriani performs meticulous controls for the quality and safety of our food products. The production facility, which is entirely dedicated to gluten-free products, is rigorous in the selection of raw materials, as well as in the number of analytical tests, carried out both by an in-house analysis laboratory (gluten and mycotoxins) and by external laboratories (soy, other allergens and contaminants) according to the specific provisions of the Analysis Plan (specific to every raw material).
Residual analysis
Residual analysis serves to verify the absence of pesticides in accordance with the tables in the applicable regulations, and contamination from the field (stones or grain impurities). If these tests return a positive result, the product is admitted to the cleaning phases; otherwise, the product is not considered acceptable and is rejected.
Result
If the results of the test conform to requirements, the material is sent to the warehouse and made available to the mill. If it conforms to requirements, the product is sent to the warehouse and made available to the mill.
Re-sampling
After transfer, the product is re-sampled: 3-4 kg is taken from every sack via a probe that reaches right to the bottom.
Visual Check
Specialised staff performs a second visual check on the product taken, to check for the possible presence of foreign bodies. A coacervo is taken - meaning a mixed sample for each sack - which is transferred to the Andriani Quality Department for gluten testing.
How it works
Terre Bradaniche sends its staff to the fields to carry out visual checks and take soil samples: based on the soil composition it is possible to determine which crops and seed types are most suitable.
LA FILIERA DI LEGUMI PIÙ ESTESA D'ITALIA
Andriani è capofila della filiera di legumi, ceci, lenticchie, piselli più estesa d’Italia, principalmente nei terreni della regione Puglia e Basilicata.
Le coltivazioni di legumi rispettano l’ambiente grazie alla ridotta immissione di gas nell’atmosfera. In rotazione ad alte colture, salvaguardano il nutrimento dei terreni e contribuire alla biodiversità.
TERRE BRADANICHE è il sito di prima ricezione e lavorazione delle materie prime.
Andriani ha avviato buone pratiche di agricoltura anche all’estero.
Un esempio è il progetto di Filiera sostenibile in Etiopia per la coltivazione di Teff, un antico cereale alla base dell’alimentazione del popolo etiope.
L’obiettivo è quello di aumentare la produttività dei campi attraverso la meccanizzazione del lavoro supportando altresì lo sviluppo dell’economia locale.
