Farms under 35 in decline but resilient and active in innovative investments
Data released on the occasion of the 20th edition of Coldiretti's Oscar Green: the 4% drop is less than the 6% drop recorded in industry. One in three companies invests in technologies to reduce fertilisers, which now with the war in Iran are increasingly expensive
The resilience of young farmers is decisive for the sector. Companies under 35 in agriculture are holding out, better than in the rest of the Italian economy, and are the most active in investing in technological innovation, an increasingly important lever for cutting costs, reducing dependence on foreign countries for energy and means of production, and ensuring business sustainability and competitiveness in the markets.
This is what emerges from the data released by Coldiretti as part of the 2026 edition, the 20th, of the Green Oscars on agriculture under 35 in Italia.
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Agricultural businesses under 35 in Italia number 49 thousand and have dropped by 4% compared to last year (the minus sign also includes active entrepreneurs over the age limit of 35). The demographic factor is weighing heavily: according to the Divulga study centre, in the last ten years young people of working age have dropped by 5 per cent.
Despite the downturn, however, in agriculture, young entrepreneurs held up better than in other sectors. In Italian industry as a whole, companies led by young people fell by 6%, with even sharper declines in the chemical sector (-15%), the electrical equipment sector (-10%), and the textile and clothing industries (-9%).
Even more important is the qualitative data, namely the fact that of the 49,000 active under-35 companies, more than one in three (35%) has recently invested in technology and innovative solutions to reduce fertiliser, water and energy consumption, thus combining the drive for sustainability with the need to reduce costs and dependence on external supplies.
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