Lollobrigida: “A recognition of Italian beauty and farming wisdom”
The lemon groves, vineyards, and olive groves of Amalfi entered the Pantheon of agricultural landscapes yesterday. The Amalfi Coast terraces received the recognition along with two locations in Japan: the Mikan orchards in Wakayama Prefecture, and the sustainable water management and agricultural, forestry, and livestock system reworked from the ancient Tatara iron production in the Okuizumo region.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu congratulated Rome and Tokyo, stating that FAO will continue its “support for agricultural communities worldwide to safeguard agricultural heritage and the solutions it offers to ensure a better food future for all.”
THE WORDS OF MINISTER LOLLOBRIGIDA
“I am proud of this FAO recognition. Human labor, intertwined with nature, generates landscapes of extraordinary beauty and universal value. The lemons, olive groves, vines, dry-stone walls, and the landscape itself have been sculpted by the toil and wisdom of farmers, telling the story of a community that for centuries has transformed sacrifice into harmony, land into culture, and agriculture into a shared heritage.” This was the comment from the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida.
For Italy, this is the third recognition after the olive trees of Assisi and Spoleto and the Soave vineyards, a sign of the value—not just economic—of agricultural activity.
“In 2024, Italian agriculture returned to significant growth. The roots of our civilization continue to bear fruit, and the Meloni Government’s policies are moving in the right direction,” Lollobrigida concluded. “We are not just looking at the past; we are building a future where young people are the protagonists and choose to invest their talent in the land, because it represents life, identity, work, and beauty. From today, we have one more reason to stand by the Italian excellence that enjoys such success worldwide.”
