Milan, July 1st, 2015 – the social farm as a model of inclusion and development, to spread the value of agriculture in solving societal problems of social and economic exclusion in the world. Problems that relate in particular to the most vulnerable in society, at greater risk of poverty and exclusion: the women and youth population. This is the theme addressed this morning as part of “Good Goods”, the first of two events promoted by San Patrignano and Valore D during the Women’s Week of Expo. A discussion with more voices on issues of shared responsibility and of economic, social and environmental sustainability, which we see between the speakers Letizia Moratti, co-founder of the Fondazione San Patrignano, Monica Barzanti, head of international relations of the community, Monica Raymondi, a former collaborator of San Patrignano and today head of public relations of Australian Hope Community Services Association. And in conclusion Maurizio Martina, Minister for agriculture.
“Italy is at the forefront with solid examples, of which San Patrignano is the first “, highlighted Anna Zaheer at the opening, general manager of Valore D by introducing the topic of the social farm.
Monica Barzanti stressed the importance of the relationship with nature in the recovery path of the young guests of San Patrignano. “In contrast to the frenetic times of drug addiction, the logic of ‘ everything and now ‘, nature has her time table. Working in contact with nature you learn to wait, to cultivate and harvest its fruits. A strong educational value, which results in social farms as being therapeutic farms”.
“In our country there is a normal spontaneous activity of social agriculture already a significant presence in the territory – said Letizia Moratti -. We have hundreds of social farms, large and small, that play an educational role and correspond to the objectives of sustainable development through the inclusion of people in difficulty or that are disadvantaged that different conditions would not have these opportunities. In front of the enlarging gap between welfare and the demand for services (the gap is 70 billion euros in Italy), the farms are an extraordinary example of an innovative welfare model “.
“For the first time with this theme we are looking at it from the point of view of legislation and legality – concluded the minister Martina – . Agriculture is one of the peculiar aspects of the Italian system, which intertwines with the economic and social factors. The company also builds social innovation to a point of sustainability and provides new directions. It is one of the most interesting aspects of the Italian experience, advanced perspective in which the agricultural enterprise evolves into a tangle of paths and instruments of value”.