Cia-Agricoltori Italiani launches roadshow for rural development

Cia-Agricoltori Italiani has launched “Territori che rigenerano” (Territories that Regenerate), a ten-stage roadshow designed to create a new Manifesto for Italy’s internal areas. Funded by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security as part of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, the initiative aims to gather grassroots input from local institutions, agricultural businesses, and researchers to propose concrete policies for rural revitalization.

Internal areas represent approximately 60% of Italy’s landmass, nearly half of its municipalities, and house about 13 million residents. These regions contain 56% of the nation’s total agricultural land and 73% of its forest heritage. Cia President Cristiano Fini emphasized that these territories are strategic components for food security, environmental protection, and climate resilience, rather than mere peripheral zones requiring welfare support.

Complementing these efforts, a meeting titled “Custodire la terra, liberare il lavoro” (Guard the land, free the work) is scheduled for September 25 in Casacalenda. The event focuses on the ecological transition, emphasizing the need for rigorous programming to prevent greenwashing. Key discussion points include the value of farm labor, equitable value distribution across the supply chain, soil regeneration, and biodiversity protection.