Young farmers in Italy: who they are and where they work

YOUNG FARMERS IN ITALY

WHO ARE THE YOUNG ITALIAN FARMERS

Compared to previous generations, young Italian farmers are well-educated: 50% have a high school diploma and 19,3% have a university degree.

These are often young people who inherit agricultural businesses from their families, while only a minority start new businesses. They are mostly distributed between the Aosta Valley, Sardinia, and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, while in other regions, generational turnover is hindered by a number of factors.

TAX BENEFITS YOUNG FARMERS

• Tax relief for income tax purposes for young people starting a new agricultural business;
• 80% tax credit on expenses incurred in 2024 to participate in training courses related to agricultural business management;
• Various tax breaks are available for those who want to expand their farmland.

BUSINESSES YOUNG FARMERS

Here are some small and large businesses run by young Italian farmers, virtuous enterprises that are pursuing a sustainable agricultural model:

• Vì's GardenViviana started it, after graduating in Landscape Architecture and deciding to dedicate herself entirely to agriculture. She is very committed to environmental sustainability, and in her garden she uses no pesticides, respects the crops' production cycle, and has eliminated the use of plastic in food packaging.
• Monterosso Forestry FarmLocated in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, this organic farm specializing in the production of spelt is run by a woman, Leila.
• Rossetti Agricultural Company: Led by Mattia, this company, located in the hills of Gradara, produces locally sourced grains and legumes, vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, and preserved products. Here, the grains and legumes are stone-ground, and Mattia is dedicated, among other things, to rediscovering ancient grain varieties.

SEASONAL WORK IN AGRICULTURE

There are those who want to live a new experience, those who take advantage of it to travel around Europe with a backpack and those who decide to spend a different holiday, learning new things and saving some money: there are many young people who, every year, decide to work for a period In fields, in Italy and abroad.

Not to mention that agriculture is currently one of the sectors capable of offering the greatest employment opportunities to youngDue to the economic crisis, but also to the desire to abandon stressful lifestyles and work schedules in favor of rediscovering physical and mental well-being, the number of young people choosing to return to the land is constantly growing. Even after earning a degree not strictly related to agriculture.

ALSO READ: Growing agriculture can save the South. Thanks to women and young people.

SEASONAL WORK IN AGRICULTURE IN ITALY AND EUROPE

For example, we told you the story of Paolo and Micaela, graduates in Architecture and Economics respectively who, despite a prestigious job, at a certain point decided to give up everything, change their lives and to devote oneself to the cultivation of saffron. And the story of Silvia, a thirty-year-old Ligurian who has decided to dedicate herself tomountain farming In the Upper Trebbia Valley, in Fossoli di Corte Brugnatella. As Coldiretti notes, as many as 50 farms are run by people under 35 in Italy, an increase over last year.

A sector that is experiencing a phase of renewal, starting from the greater interest towards theorganic farming and eco-sustainable practices such as the rediscovery of traditional crops and the promotion of short supply chains. These factors have contributed to bringing young people back to agriculture.

TO KNOW MORE: Young people and women in agriculture, over 7.500 new businesses. Doesn't that sound like a miracle to cultivate?

TEMPORARY AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

Work for a few months as temporary agricultural workers It can therefore prove to be an important opportunity to test oneself in a sector that offers concrete opportunities. The activities to be carried out concern the fruit and vegetable harvesting during spring and summer, the harvest in autunno , citrus fruit and olive harvest during the winter. Obviously, it's important to take into account that farms' demand for labor varies depending on seasonal production trends. And don't forget, too, that this is a job which requires patience, so much good will and also a physical effort: You may need to spend many hours in the fields or lift weights.

Meanwhile, as Coldiretti reports, it's possible to use again the new "vouchers" in agriculture aimed at pensioners, students and unemployed people, to be able to work in the countryside, in the vineyards for the harvestgrape or in the fields for the harvesting of autumn products.

HOW TO FIND WORK IN AGRICULTURE

Per work in the agricultural sector in ItalyIf you're interested in working for a farm, even if only for a short period, you can contact individual farms directly or check job postings at employment centers. Some roles may require a minimum amount of experience in the sector.

Those who intend to undertake this experience abroad, can consult the portals relating to job offers in the chosen country. In France for example, you can apply for the grape harvest, fruit picking and vegetable. In Germany Instead, it is possible to find work on farms where, in addition to harvesting fruit and vegetables, one also dedicates oneself to animal care.

SECTORS WHERE YOU CAN FIND WORK:

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• Passionate farmers: three young Sicilians make a living selling oranges and citrus fruits online.
• Repair Café, where everything starts working again, creating new job opportunities (Photo)
• How to organize your home by inventing a job: the story of Giulia, a closet organizer
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