“To look back on these eighty years which separate us from 1944 is to read the history of a country which knew modernize, to grow, consolidate the freedom of its citizenslive in peace, achieve the important objectives that the Constitution of the Republic has entrusted to us. In this story, among the protagonists, we find the National Confederation of Direct Farmersor more simply, the Coldirettias Italians have come to know it. The agrarian question has marked Republican history, representing one of the decisive tests of the capacity of the new system to make effective the rights enshrined in our Fundamental Charter: with these words, the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella speaks at the Coldiretti national conference on the occasion of80th anniversary of creation.
“The choice of the Constitution expresses the refusal to move from the backwardness of economic and social relations in the almost feudal countryside to collectivizationto indicate a future which embodies the ideals of equality, freedom of enterprise and development”, then recalled the Head of State.
“The great constitutional project, which aimed at the progress and well-being of a backward and unequal nation towards a large part of its citizens, was measured above all in the areas“, generating this evolution which will transform the agricultural world from a burden and a presumed problem of Italian society into a precious resource”, further underlined President Mattarella, specifying that it is thanks to the Constitution that the idea of an agriculture forced to choose between large estates and the Soviet model with a collectivist-kolkhosian character.
Farmers' engagement in Parliament, starting with founder Bonomi
“Work, health, social security, fair wages then research, mechanization, crop specialization, are the themes that have accompanied us until today, with the strong commitment of the organization of which we today we celebrate the eightieth anniversary and of its men, many of whom were elected to Parliament, according to a choice of sharing values that the founder of Coldiretti, Paolo Bonomihe wanted with determination. The political representation of farmers was a challenge”, continued the Head of State. And he added: “The Peasant Union of Trentino and, in Piedmont, in 1921, the Peasant Party had participated, even before the meeting of the region with Italy, with the election of its representatives to Parliament Coldiretti decided to participate in national political life as part of the experience of the Christian-inspired movement led by Alcide De Gasperi. first member of the National Council, then of the Constituent Assembly, and finally of the Chamber of Deputies, until 1983”.
Coldiretti and the contribution to the definition of the organization and the role of social forces in our democracy
“From Coldiretti’s experience was born a contribution to the definition of organizational methods and of role of social forces in emerging democracy. The birth of trade union organizations in post-war Italy, on the ashes of pre-fascist experiences and on the corporate structures created by fascism, is well known.” The President of the Republic also insists on the fact that the recovery n “It was not “easy”. The fascist wars had disrupted agricultural production”, remembers Mattarella. “The men called to war had been withdrawn from production. Food resources became scarce after the autarky that followed the Italian aggression against Ethiopia. Five years of war have devastated more than 700,000 hectares of arable landequal to the area of the regions of Trentino, Friuli, Liguria, Umbria and Campania combined and destroyed 85 thousand hectares of pasturesequal to the area of the Marche region. Knowing that Italian agricultural production in 1938 was equal to 100, that of 1945 had fallen to 60. Consider that, even in 1951, cereals represented 40% of the food deficit of Western Europe. The compulsory storage policy, inaugurated by fascism, gradually disappeared in the early 1950s.
“The resumption of production processes was an imperative of reconstruction and agriculture played a central role which, from delay, moved towards a new season of research and progress. More than 3.6 million hectares have been allocated to the direct ownership of farmers. with the expropriations of large properties and the acquisitions made possible thanks to the Cassa for small peasant properties and the Green Plan, involving approximately 1 million 200 thousand families”, concluded the Head of State.
“With agriculture, the country's food supply was ensured during Covid. Water and food build peace between people”
“The Republic knows that it identifies to a large extent with agriculture. This was valid at the time of the pandemic; And thank you to the farmers for ensuring the country's food. It's worth it, it's worth it, for them Floods hit Italywith proof of authentic responsibility and solidarity”, adds the president in his long speech at the conference celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of Coldiretti. “The Republic knows what it is leave Since essential elements such ascascade And THE food That Yes build peace between peoples» Mattarella then adds. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the very serious crisis in the Middle East are testing the survival possibilities of entire populations, with the unscrupulous use of food resources as a weapon. The essential international cooperation, in which you are engaged, makes you vehicles of peace. Agriculture – concludes Mattarella – is the future of humanity. Faithful to its roots, I am sure that it is on this path that we will find the Confederation in the years to come.”