In Abruzzo less than 2% of farms are led by young people under 29 – Virtù Quotidiane

CHIETI – The conference “Young farmers: opportunities, prospects and ideas for the future” was successfully held at Villa Tamerici in Ortona (Chieti). The event saw the participation of experts from the agricultural sector, institutional representatives and young agricultural entrepreneurs, who shared experiences and knowledge fundamental for the future of agriculture.

The conference was inaugurated with greetings from the municipalities of Francavilla al Mare and Ortona, followed by speeches from the president of Cia Chieti-Pescara, Domenico Bombaand of the president Cia Abruzzo, Nicola Sichettiwho underlined the importance of the role of young people in agriculture and expressed their commitment to supporting and promoting their initiatives.

Alfonso Octaviandirector of Cia Chieti-Pescara, illustrated the Cia Smart services available to young farmers, offering useful tools and resources for starting and developing their activities.

Martina Lovatanalyst of the Openpolis Foundation, analyzed significant data that outline the current panorama of Abruzzo and national agriculture, underlining that, in Abruzzo, 8.6% of agricultural businesses are led by people aged between 30 and 44, while only 1.7% is managed by individuals under 29 years of age.

“These numbers indicate a low presence of young people in the sector, which highlights the need to encourage and support youth entrepreneurship in the agricultural world,” commented Lovat. “Another relevant fact is that the most innovative companies tend to be led by educated young people, just as the updating and incidence of innovative investments in these companies is four times higher than in those led by individuals over 64. This data highlights the importance of promoting training and support programs for young farmers”.

Elena Sicodirector of the Agriculture Department of the Abruzzo Region, presented in detail the opportunities offered by rural development programming, providing valuable information for accessing financing and support for agricultural businesses.

“For a dynamic agricultural sector there is a need for young farmers who are qualified and open to innovation, able to respond to the needs of society, the production of quality food and the provision of environmental public goods”, declared Sico, demonstrating that Abruzzo ranks third in Italy, after Lazio and Veneto, for financial resources aimed at young people.

The national focus was addressed through an analysis of the Carloni Law by Matteo Ansanellinational secretary Agia, and by Nicola LasorsaIsmea Communication Department official, who explored Ismea’s tools for young farmers, specifically “Generazione Terra”, designed to start or expand an agricultural activity.

Word then to Matteo Pagliaranivice president of Ceja (European Young Farmers Association), who spoke about European policies for young farmers, providing a comprehensive overview of the future prospects of the sector.

Finally, the speech of the Agriculture Councilor of the Abruzzo Region, Emanuele Imprudenteoffered an institutional perspective on the policies and incentives envisaged to support youth agriculture in the region.

The conclusions of the conference saw the national president Agia, Enrico Calentinireflect on the fundamental role of young people in Abruzzo agriculture and the challenges they will face in the near future, highlighting the importance of training, innovation and sustainability to ensure a prosperous and resilient agricultural sector.

The event concluded with speeches from the public present and a broad consensus on the need to continue to support and promote youth agriculture, considering it a fundamental pillar for the economic and social development of the region.