Rural Connections 2026: The Department of Agriculture at the National Mini Camp in Puglia
The 2026 edition of the Mini Camp, held in Puglia from May 10th to 12th, concluded with great success. The camp was part of the project "Rural Connections. Open Farms, from the lab to the field," a training program for university students.
Connessioni Rurali (Rural Connections) is the operational heart of the PAC Network Academy, an initiative promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry with the aim of strengthening collaboration between universities, local authorities, farmers, and research centers, promoting sustainable development and the dissemination of best practices in rural areas. In Calabria, the project is being promoted for the 2025-2026 two-year period by the Calabria Region's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The 2026 edition attracted broad and distinguished participation from the national university system, involving 45 selected students from universities across Italy who had already participated in a previous training phase. Together with university professors, regional representatives, researchers from the National CAP Network, representatives of CREA centers, and EStà experts, the participants engaged in an intense multidisciplinary exchange, with a total of approximately 70 participants.
The Department of Agriculture at the Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria actively participated in the initiative, contributing to participatory action research programs dedicated to the study of experimental and farm experiences inspired by the principles of agroecology. Field activities included practical demonstrations, exercises, and opportunities for students to engage with companies, researchers, and agricultural professionals.
Over the three days, collaboration between young people, researchers, and farmers fostered the sharing of experiences and the development of innovative proposals on the sustainability of agricultural production, the protection of natural resources, and the ecological transition of the agri-food sector. The strong presence of Italian universities was one of the initiative's most significant elements, helping to strengthen a national network of expertise committed to promoting sustainable and resilient agricultural models capable of combining innovation, applied research, and local development.
Professor Marco Poiana, Director of the Department of Agriculture, emphasized how the Mini Camp represented "a concrete experience of collaboration and exchange between different local communities, bringing students into direct contact with innovative practices, skills, and models useful for addressing the transformations in the agri-food sector." Special thanks were extended to the Calabria Region for its support and commitment to promoting the Rural Connections project, a strategic tool for strengthening collaboration between institutions, research, and the agricultural system, and for enhancing the contribution of younger generations to the sustainable development of rural areas.
The students were accompanied by the regional project coordinator, Engineer Maria Annunziata Longo, and the delegate for the third departmental mission, Professor Bruno Bernardi.
