The Demeter farming experience among culture and young people

On Thursday, July 17, 2025, the second press conference “L’esperienza agricola Demeter tra cultura e giovani (The Demeter agricultural experience among culture and young people)” was organized by Demeter Italia – an association for the protection of biodynamic quality – at the Milan offices of the Foreign Press Association in Italy.

The event addressed the issue of young people in agriculture was preceded by a press conference involving international journalists in Rome on Tuesday, July 15, on certified biodynamic holiday farms. The conference was followed by visits to biodynamic farms, which provided two examples of how farming can be combined with hospitality: Palazzo Tronconi, in Arce (FR) and Al di Là del Fiume in Marzabotto (BO).

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.

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

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. Biodynamic agriculture, which has always embodied these values, offers a concrete and contemporary solution. Demeter-certified farms 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—unlike conventional models.

“Biodynamic farms are open entities by vocation”, explained Marco Paravicini, “where 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”.

“Biodynamic agriculture”, recalled Holly Martin, Communication Coordinator of the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International, “is 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, with an increase of 57% in recent years. Programs such as the ‘Biodynamic Agricultural College’ in the United Kingdom, ‘Biodynamic Foundations Training’ in the United States (with over 40% of participants under the age of 35), and the ‘Junges Demeter’ 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.”

A significant testimony from a cultural and, above all, human point of view was that of Danila Mongardi, founder of the biodynamic farm “Al di là del Fiume” (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 – almost a mission – a new agricultural and social reality: “Creating 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”.

Among the participants at the conference were two students from the European master’s program MESPOM, who shared their thoughts on the transformative value of the agricultural experience and their experience at “Al di Là del Fiume”. “We need to bring food back closer to us, to our daily lives”, said Antoni Barc Central. “Biodynamic agriculture, as we have experienced it, is a resource for resilience and for the community”. Pranjal Pandey then looked at his country of origin, at the Indian context: “Agriculture 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”.

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.

Demeter Italia is a private association of producers, processors and distributors of biodynamic agricultural and food products, affiliated with
Biodynamic Federation Demeter International (BFDI). Based in Parma, Demeter Italia carefully monitors the production, processing and marketing of products, following each stage of the supply chain up to certification and labeling. The Association includes more than 1,000 farms of different product categories spread throughout the country, which apply the biodynamic farming method inspired by Rudolf Steiner in 1924.