Agriculture and ethics: the Nocap case study in the Apulia region

In a context of a growing need for a system to promote local agriculture and to give added value to the territory in terms of economic and employment growth, it is fundamental to protect the territory itself from the unfair competition of third-country products. Energy and ethics certifications that inform consumers on issues related to emissions and waste, from the production and distribution cycle, and that inform as well on ethical aspects mainly related to the production process become a precious resource to enhance the awareness of purchasers and influence consumers behaviour. The present contribution, through an analysis of the NoCap case study in Apulia region (https://www.nocap.it), aims at investigating several aspects related to an agricultural production model that, together with the fight against illegal employment of immigrants, creates an effective system of “ethical and energy rewarding” that can reach the commercial distribution currently holding a disproportionate power. The aim is to create new virtuous distribution systems disconnected from economic processes and linked to sustainable models; the NoCap Association proposes an ethical and energy model of products where traceability is always clear throughout the supply chain.