Social farming as a driver of innovation for migrant empowerment and sustainability. The Italian experience

Social farming represents an innovative approach that combines productive agricultural activities with the provision of social services, including health, education, training, employment, and recreational opportunities. While social farming is a concept that is being implemented in various ways across Europe, in Italy, it has a particular emphasis on the integration of disadvantaged individuals into the labour market and local communities. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of two social farming enterprises located in northern Italy, specifically examining their role in facilitating the integration of asylum seekers, refugees and former unaccompanied minors into agricultural work. The study explores the sustainability of these enterprises from economic, social and environmental perspectives. It also investigates how these enterprises contribute to regional development through their involvement in local and supra-local networks.