Italy agriculture faces rising climate change risks

A survey conducted as part of the AGRIcoltura100 program reveals that 67.6% of agricultural businesses in Italy experienced at least one natural disaster between 2023 and 2025. The study, a joint initiative by Reale Mutua and Confagricoltura and prepared by MBS Consulting (Cerved Group) based on responses from over 3,800 farms, highlights the increasing burden of climate change on the sector.

The most frequent causes of damage were precipitation-related events—such as rain, ice, and storms—and extreme heat, both affecting 40.2% of businesses. Floods and inland waters affected 17%, frost 15.2%, and tornadoes or hurricanes 10.4%.

While 92% of affected businesses reported losses in crops, other impacts included damage to operational facilities (23.4%), water shortages (12.4%), and soil erosion (10.1%). The report notes that while awareness of climate risks is growing, many managers still underestimate their actual exposure, which threatens both immediate profitability and medium-term financial stability.