After a
50-year hiatus, farmers and agricultural firms in the town of Capannori, in the
province of Lucca, will again cultivate hemp.
As part of a
pilot project to make eco-friendly building materials, seeds for the
controversial crop will be planted in March for a September harvesting.
According to the project information, the hemp grown in Capannori will be used
to produce thermal wall insulation panels for buildings and furniture.
Local
officials estimate that a hectare of hemp can yield about 500 euro for farmers
in Capannori, a rather profitable crop considering that cultivation lasts only
five months. Additionally, hemp is sustainable, does not need pesticides and
requires less water than many other crops.
Said to be
the first in the world to develop a local production chain to put hemp into
production for the building sector, the project is being co-financed by the
Tuscan Region for 2 million euro.
‘We are extremely pleased with
the response that the territory and the community are giving to this project,
and at the same time, to the recovery of a great tradition,’ announced deputy
mayor Alessio Ciacci, along with Maurizio Vellutini, councillor for productive
activities, at a recent conference.
‘Building a local production chain of hemp as a
building material will certainly be a valuable opportunity ecologically to
reduce the environmental impact of homes, but also in terms of economy and
employment. Here, in Capannori, we confirm that we are always at the forefront
of sustainability and innovation. This project will allow us to make new and
important steps in this direction,’ he added.
