Challenges and Perspectives of Social Farming in North-Eastern Italy: The Farmers’ View

Morgana Galardi, Lorena Filugelli, Roberta Moruzzo, Francesco Riccioli, Franco Mutinelli, Salomon Espinosa Diaz and Laura Contalbrigo
Additional contact information
Morgana Galardi: National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Lorena Filugelli: National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Roberta Moruzzo: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, PI, Italy
Francesco Riccioli: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, PI, Italy
Franco Mutinelli: National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Salomon Espinosa Diaz: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, PI, Italy
Laura Contalbrigo: National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-12

Abstract: In the European framework of multifunctional agriculture, Social Farming (SF) has constantly been spreading. In Italy, these practices are legally connected to Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI), creating new perspectives and challenges for farmers and their territories. In this paper, we report the results of a pilot study conducted in the Veneto Region to understand farmers’ opinions about the opportunities and challenges of SF and AAI. Participants were convened by the Italian farmers’ trade organization Coldiretti . All of them provide social/healthcare services on their farms, including human–animal interaction, and have attended the regional training courses for Social Farming providers. Data were collected during two focus groups that were videotaped and subsequently analyzed by two researchers to categorize and dope out relevant topics. Results show a mismatch between what is stated by national and regional laws and the current situation reported by farmers. They are faced with many economic challenges as well as barriers in their relationship with traditional healthcare services. However, farmers have a strong motivation and believe in the benefits that AAI and SF offer to society in rural and urban areas.

Keywords: animal assisted interventions; focus group; green care; human–animal interaction; organizational model; social farming (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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