Last weekend (5-7 October) the “Villaggio Contadino” (Farm Village) event, organized by the largest Italian agricultural organization Coldiretti, arrived in Rome. In the evocative setting of the Circus Maximus, in an area of 80,000 square meters, among dozens of laboratories and hundreds of exhibitors, young and old have experienced and “enjoyed” the great Italian agri-food heritage. The educational initiative has been sponsored by the Ministries for agricultural policies, for the environment and for cultural assets and activities.

The Great Beauty Of Italian Agriculture

People came from all the Italian regions: farms, breeders, chefs, managers, accademics and representatives of institutions. Also OCRIM was there with the Biostonemill machine, an expression of tradition and technological innovation. A few meters from our stand there were also friends from our Italian Made chain: Ghigi, SIS and Bonifiche Ferraresi. A due presence for the educational dimension that plays this important initiative. For three days we were overwhelmed by an unstoppable, interested, admired and curious public.  It doesn’t often happen that you find yourself catapulted into a real Noah’s Ark where you can familiarize yourself with the typical farm animals but also with species saved from extinction. Coldiretti, in collaboration with Filiera Italia (http://www.ai-lati.eu/2018/05/14/filiera-italia-is-born-the-voice-of-agricultural-excellence/), has organized a national Open Day to make known to the public the work, productions and recipes of the Made in Italy tradition. Among agrichef, educational farms, agricultural vehicles, old and new tools, animals, 0 km products and laboratories, the event operators were particularly satisfied, above all for the interest aroused among young people who, more and more numerous, choose their careers linked to the land. A trend also confirmed by the Coldiretti survey related to the “return to the land” that was presented together with the first “Open space of peasant creativity”, with practical demonstrations to touch the passion, products and extraordinary creativity stories of young people in the fields.

#stocoicontadini

All united under the hashtag “stocoicontadini”. The president of Coldiretti Roberto Moncalvo, the president of Campagna Amica Carlo Petrini, the mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi, the President of the Lazio Region Nicola Zingaretti together with other institutional representatives, representatives of civil society, academics and artists have dealt with issues related to nutrition, health and the safeguard of Made in Italy. The “Villaggio contadino” (Farm Village) event organized by Coldiretti has seen the presence of over a million visitors who have appreciated the largest work of enhancement of peasant biodiversity ever made in Italy, curated by Campagna Amica, rediscovered cheeses, meats, fruits and vegetables “forgotten”, tasted traditional folk dishes under the guidance of expert agrichef, and learned the tricks of the ancient crafts come back in vogue, as the carvers, wool makers, hatters and ceramists.