Cultivating social agriculture is more than a slogan. If solidarity and the value of people are taken as an objective, it becomes an opportunity for growth. Work in the Italian countryside is "an inclusive element among fragile people, families, small communities and individuals in need of support". With these aims, Confagricoltura presented the eighth edition of the prize "Let's cultivate social agriculture". Three winners will be selected with 40.000 euros each, plus three scholarships for the Master's in Social Agriculture at the University of Tor Vergata. The Prize also includes 20.000 euros for a special management project and redevelopment of public green areas. It is presented as a competition of merit to resume the relationship with the fields, also opening the doors to non-agricultural social cooperatives. The third sector that distinguishes the initiative is a social and economic resource that employs around 6 people. In 2022 it had a turnover 84 billion euros spread across all sectors. Agriculture on the national scene thus competes with small businesses, non-profit organizations and NGOs.
The trend is positive and attracts young people
The Confagricoltura Award is supported by the Onlus Senior L'età della Saggezza, the Reale Foundation, the Social Farms Network and the University of Rome Tor Vergata. The agricultural-social trend is conquering the new generations. On the one hand they are repelled by the structured labor market, on the other they are attracted by it more sustainable lifestyles and resilient: basically less stressful. Farms that carry out social activities in Italy have grown by 250% in the last eight years. In farms that do cultivation and breeding, social welfare is practiced by 12,5%. The prizes in euros, of course, are convenient and they prove it 900 thousand euros disbursed so far. There is time until 20 October 2023 to submit projects. They must be submitted by e-mail to coltriamoagricolturasociale@confagricoltura.it, or by registered mail to Confagricoltura – Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 101 – 00186 ROME.
Finally, who can participate? Farmers, social cooperatives, also in association with other actors in the third sector. Essential that they have like leader an entrepreneur agricultural or a social cooperative that carries out activities dedicated to the fields. For the 20.000 euro prize of the "special section" for public green areas, the selection is also open to non-agricultural organizations, provided they are engaged in the care, planning or protection of parks, gardens, villas available to citizens. The race has begun, we need to refine ideas, plan. In the autumn it will be known who won, in a country - let us remember - stingy with green facilities and which has done everything to desertify the countryside.