A strategic sector for the mountains, in terms of tourism and anti-depopulation
Meanwhile, more and more young people are dedicating themselves to the primary sector
For the care of the landscape. For tourism. To combat depopulation. To prevent landslides. The values of agriculture are many. Even more so those of agriculture in the mountains, an authentic protagonist for two weekends at Longarone Fiere Dolomiti, where today Agrimont 2025, edition number 44, was inaugurated, which will continue tomorrow and next weekend (March 21-22-23).
«Agriculture in the mountains requires greater efforts. But it is essential to govern the territory and combat depopulation» said the regional councilor for agriculture, Federico Caner, present at the ribbon cutting. “This is why the Veneto Region is always paying so much attention to the highlands, just think that the mountains have only 8% of the Veneto agricultural companies, but absorb 40% of the regional funding in this area”.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES FROM CLIMATE CHANGE
Efforts, but also challenges. Those given by climate change, which is moving crops ever higher. “Today, climate change opens up scenarios that until a few decades ago were unthinkable. And this offers new opportunities” Caner underlined. “It is necessary to put operators in the conditions to work at their best, because the primary sector is a great boost for tourism, for food and wine products, but also for the care and fight against landslides. Investing in agriculture and livestock means avoiding landslides and the advance of the forest”.
MAKE WAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
It also means investing in young people, who increasingly decide to “get their hands dirty” and dedicate themselves to the primary sector. This is demonstrated by the enrollment data at the “Della Lucia” agricultural institute in Vellai (“over 500 students in total, a significant figure,” said Senator Luca De Carlo, who spoke at the inaugural ceremony). This is confirmed by the liveliness of the young people who signed up to the regional call dedicated specifically to young entrepreneurs: “Of 100 applications, 90 came from young people from the mountains,” explained Councilor Caner. “All the applications will be funded. And this figure is significant, because it means that young people believe in mountain agriculture.” “To keep young people living in the mountains, we need to give them the necessary training and professional opportunities,” summarized De Carlo, president of the IX Commission in the Senate (Industry, Commerce, Tourism, Agriculture and Agri-food Production). “And here we are sure to have both training and concrete job opportunities, because the primary sector in the mountains is an authentic service to the territory, for example in stopping the unchallenged advance of the forest and in protecting high-altitude pastures, as Lattebusche has done and is doing, with strategies to safeguard breeders”.
THE PROGRAM
With 248 company brands (from 13 Italian regions and 13 foreign countries), 17 thousand square meters of exhibition space for products and equipment for agriculture, livestock farming and gardening, Agrimont “is the second trade fair in the Triveneto area in the sector” said the CEO of Longarone Fiere Dolomiti, Giovanni De Lorenzi. “If Verona is the queen, Agrimont is the princess. And for next year we have already opened the waiting list for exhibitors who want to join”.
“We already have exhibitors from Austria, Germany, Slovenia and other European and non-European countries. The idea is to expand towards the Eastern and Northern European basin” the words of the president of the Fair, Caterina Carrer. “Agrimont is increasingly a point of reference for the agricultural sector but also a moment of meeting and cultural growth. This year we have planned 30 debates and conferences to delve into the world of mountain agriculture. And then the farm set up outside the pavilions is always an absolute attraction for children and families”.
Longarone, March 15, 2025
