In the southern regions the agricultural sector represents a resource for those under 30 while in the north this is not the case
In the last decade, 110 thousand young businesses under 30 have closed their doors in all sectors, with the sole exception of agriculture, which is the only one of the main sectors to have held up. This is what emerges from a Coldiretti analysis of Unioncamere data presented on the occasion of the assignment of the Oscar Green to the businesses that have distinguished themselves most in ensuring food and energy self-sufficiency and the sustainability of production. With the award ceremony at the Coldiretti Village in Venice, in the presence of the national president Ettore Prandini and the delegate of Coldiretti Giovani Enrico Parisi. In the period 2014-2024, Italian businesses run by under 30s have gone from 514 thousand to 404 thousand, with a net loss of 21% – explains Coldiretti – and the most significant drops recorded in construction (-40%) and trade (- 34%), while agricultural businesses have remained just under 48 thousand units, without substantial variations. The sign of a resilience of young farmers that is however put to the test by too many obstacles that prevent or slow down the entry and continuity in the management of agricultural businesses: the lack of access to credit, bureaucracy, lack of infrastructure and limited access to land are some examples, according to a report by the Centro Studi Divulga. The positive data for the South is that in Basilicata, Sardinia and Campania the agricultural sector represents a great opportunity for relaunching for young people in territories with high rates of youth unemployment, while in Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Valle d’Aosta and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano the agricultural sector, being a substantial part of the local economic framework, tends to involve the interests of young entrepreneurs.
