Sicily, with 5,900 companies, is the leading region for the number of youth agricultural enterprises.

Sicily - with 5,900 companies - is the leading region for the number of youth agricultural enterprises. This is what emerges from an analysis by Coldiretti released on the occasion of the final in Rome of the Oscar Green, the award from Coldiretti Young Enterprise for companies and startups celebrating its twentieth anniversary. In particular, the agricultural sector is the only one that in 2025 has seen an increase in young workers: +6% compared to 2024, but if we consider only permanent contracts, the increase is 19%. In contrast, industry loses 5% of employed under 35s, construction 1%, commerce, hotels, and restaurants 2%, and the same goes for other services.

Therefore, innovation in Italian fields is growing, driven by the ingenuity of the 49,000 agricultural enterprises under 35 that are active, and the number of young workers in agriculture is increasing (+6%).

According to the Coldiretti analysis, young Italian farmers are worth twice the EU average, with the productivity of under 35s reaching 4,800 euros per hectare, compared to 2,500 for their European counterparts, according to the Divulga study center. But young enterprises also excel in their ability to face energy shocks and speculations related to conflicts, from Ukraine to Iran. More than one in three companies (35%) has invested in innovations to reduce the consumption of fertilizers, water, and energy, balancing sustainability, cost reduction, and independence from external supplies, according to the first Census on digital maturity of agricultural companies from the Coldiretti Next Digital Agriculture Innovation Hub. In absolute terms, the leading regions for the number of youth agricultural enterprises are Sicily (5,900 companies), Puglia (4,900 companies), and Campania (4,400 companies). In terms of incidence on the total regional sector, Liguria, Basilicata, and Valle d'Aosta rank at the top, each with about 10%. Farmers under 35 rank third in number, behind only retail (73,000 enterprises) and construction (60,000), but ahead of catering (40,000), personal services (33,000), wholesale trade (29,000), and the manufacturing sector as a whole (23,000), according to the Divulga Study Center.