{"id":115737,"date":"2025-07-23T09:35:37","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T07:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/?p=115737"},"modified":"2025-07-23T09:59:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T07:59:33","slug":"demeter-farming-experience-culture-young-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bioecoactual.com\/en\/2025\/07\/23\/demeter-farming-experience-culture-young-people\/","title":{"rendered":"The Demeter farming experience among culture and young people"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Thursday, July 17, 2025, the second press conference organized by Demeter Italia<\/strong> \u2013 an association for the protection of biodynamic quality \u2013 entitled \u00abL\u2019esperienza agricola Demeter tra cultura e giovani<\/em> (The Demeter agricultural experience among culture and young people)\u00bb<\/strong> was held at the Milan offices of the Foreign Press Association in Italy. The event addressed the issue of young people in agriculture and marked the end of a journey involving international journalists<\/strong>, which began with a press conference in Rome<\/strong> <\/a>on Tuesday, July 15, on certified biodynamic holiday farms. The conference was followed by visits to biodynamic farms<\/strong>, which provided two examples of how farming can be combined with hospitality: Palazzo Tronconi, in Arce (FR) and Al di L\u00e0 del Fiume in Marzabotto (BO).<\/p>\n

\"Demeter<\/p>\n

Biodynamics is not just an agricultural method. It also plays an important cultural role as it represents a wealth of knowledge that, if properly exploited, can become a driver for development and a bridge between tradition and innovation. The issue is therefore of central importance for biodynamic agriculture, which is shaping the future by involving younger generations.<\/p>\n

The press conference was introduced by Giovanni Buccheri<\/strong>, director of Demeter Italia, and featured speeches by the Vice President Marco Paravicini<\/strong>, BFDI (Biodynamic Federation Demeter International) Communication Coordinator Holly Martin<\/strong>, farmer and former social educator Danila Mongardi<\/strong> (farm \u00abAl di l\u00e0 del Fiume\u00bb, BO), and young students Pranjal Pandey<\/strong> and Antoni Barc Central<\/strong>, from the international master’s program in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management (MESPOM).<\/p>\n

Biodynamics is not just an agricultural method: it can become a driver for development and a bridge between tradition and innovation<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Environmental and social sustainability, the growing awareness that well-being is achieved through care, listening, and respect, a passion for nature, and the urgent need to rethink conventional production models are issues deeply felt by young people<\/strong>. Biodynamic agriculture, which has always embodied these values, offers a concrete and contemporary solution. Demeter-certified farms<\/strong> are like living organisms where crops, animals, and humans coexist in equilibrium: you can’t have too many animals without land, or farm without animals\u2014unlike conventional models.<\/p>\n

\"Demeter<\/p>\n

\u00abBiodynamic farms are open entities by vocation\u00bb, explained Marco Paravicini<\/strong>, \u00abwhere the entrepreneurial approach coexists with educational, relational, and cultural approaches. Today, we need to offer young people a new image of agriculture that is no longer a factory producing products, but a place of life and community. Here, young people find not only knowledge but also experience: this is what makes generational change possible, something that is increasingly difficult today. Demeter farms promote courses, educational initiatives, holiday farms, and offer a more humane, sustainable, and inclusive approach. And today, thanks to the recognition of the brand abroad, Italian biodynamic agriculture speaks to the world\u00bb.<\/p>\n

\u00abBiodynamic agriculture\u00bb, recalled Holly Martin<\/strong>, Communication Coordinator of the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International, \u00abis young in essence, because it brings with it vitality, openness, and hope. Our initiatives for young people have multiplied. Today we have over 7,400 Demeter farms worldwide<\/strong>, with an increase of 57% in recent years. Programs such as the \u2018Biodynamic Agricultural College\u2019 in the United Kingdom, \u2018Biodynamic Foundations Training\u2019 in the United States (with over 40% of participants under the age of 35), and the \u2018Junges Demeter\u2019 network in Germany show how concrete the involvement of the younger generations is. Another example is the BINGN project, in which Scandinavia is preparing young people for the future of biodynamic agriculture. Our approach is cultural, community-based, and associative: standards are decided democratically by member organizations in 41 countries and in 55 associations. Biodynamic agriculture is not just a job. It is a way of life, a space to cultivate relationships and joy. This is the inspiration behind the new international communication campaign Feel the Joy, running from this summer until the end of the year, which aims to convey the beauty of caring for the earth in harmony with nature\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Demeter-certified farms are like living organisms where crops, animals, and humans coexist in equilibrium<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A significant testimony from a cultural and, above all, human point of view was that of Danila Mongardi<\/strong>, founder of the biodynamic farm \u00abAl di l\u00e0 del Fiume\u00bb (Beyond the River), who decided a few years ago to radically change her life and create, with a lot of hard work and, above all, passion \u2013 almost a mission \u2013 a new agricultural and social reality: \u00abCreating culture means creating fertile ground, and we farmers cultivate the future. I myself come from a background in social work, and my husband and I chose biodynamics to generate value, biodiversity, and relationships. Our holiday farm is also an educational place: every summer we organize a summer camp for teenagers, we welcome WWOOF volunteers from all over the world and young people in difficulty, often socially withdrawn, with whom we are building a small alternative school. Here, young people find a listening ear, inspiration, and the opportunity to rediscover themselves. It is not a nostalgic return to the land, but an experience of awareness and respite. When we were looking for a young couple willing to change their lives and work with us to manage part of our holiday farm, we received enthusiastic responses from 85 young people between the ages of 20 and 30. It was difficult to choose, but we were guided by the passion in their eyes. When eyes sparkle, we know we are sowing the seeds of the future\u00bb.<\/p>\n

\"Demeter<\/p>\n

Among the participants at the conference were two students from the European master’s program MESPOM<\/strong>, who shared their thoughts on the transformative value of the agricultural experience and their experience at \u00abAl di L\u00e0 del Fiume\u00bb. \u00abWe need to bring food back closer to us, to our daily lives\u00bb, said Antoni Barc Central<\/strong>. \u00abBiodynamic agriculture, as we have experienced it, is a resource for resilience and for the community\u00bb. Pranjal Pandey<\/strong> then looked at his country of origin, at the Indian context: \u00abAgriculture is one of the main sources of income in my country, yet farmers are among the poorest people. This paradox affects everyone: it reminds us that something has to change. The biodynamic experience allows us to connect with ourselves, with our sense of belonging, and with the world we want to build. It is not just an agricultural practice. It is a way of communicating values that also speak to the mental health of young people, which is often threatened today by anxiety, isolation, and the ecological crisis\u00bb.<\/p>\n

This opportunity for discussion reaffirmed how biodynamic agriculture, with its cultural roots and forward-looking approach, can be a fertile ground for building communities, generating change, and giving a voice to new generations.<\/p>\n

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