Registrations open for the second edition of the Hazelnut Agronomy Program promoted by Ferrero Group

Following the success of the first edition, registrations have reopened for the Hazelnut Agronomy Program (Hap), the technical school dedicated to hazelnuts in Italy, promoted by Ferrero Hazelnut Company, the Ferrero Group division dedicated to the global hazelnut supply chain, together with the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability (Eiis) and the Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Agronomi e Dottori Forestali (Conaf).

Objectives

The school's programme was created in response to a period of profound transformation in the Italian hazelnut supply chain, a long-established sector of national agriculture that is now having to contend with the effects of climate change, the emergence of new plant diseases, the abandonment of some rural areas and the ageing of orchards. In this context, technical training becomes a practical tool for supporting the sector's productivity, quality and resilience.

The new edition continues the programme announced on 9 June during the Hazelnut Summit, held at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Rome. The first edition recorded more than 1.000 registrations and over 70 hours of training in total. Among the participants, 120 professionals were selected to explore the programme in greater depth through four in-person sessions in Piedmont, Umbria, Lazio and Campania, at the Universities of Turin, Perugia, Tuscia and Salerno.

The training programme is now also giving rise to a network: the second edition will launch the Hap Community, designed to keep dialogue between professionals alive, build on the relationships established during the first year and encourage the sharing of solutions and best practices among the various stakeholders in the supply chain.

The training programme

The school will be entirely funded by the promoters and recognised for professional training credits. Agronomists, cooperative technicians, industry professionals and final-year agricultural science students may apply until 18 November. The programme, lasting approximately eight months in total, will alternate between online training and in-person sessions in Italy's main hazelnut-growing regions. The best solutions developed by the participants will be presented at the concluding Hazelnut Summit.

At the heart of the project remains a model of collaboration between business, the profession, research and institutions, with the aim of supporting innovation throughout the supply chain. In this context, the agronomist confirms their role as a key figure: a bridge between research and the field, capable of translating technical knowledge into more effective, sustainable and future-oriented farming practices.

Comments

“The success of the first edition confirms how strong the demand is within Italian hazelnut cultivation for expertise, innovation and practical tools to address the sector's challenges. With this new edition, Ferrero is renewing its commitment alongside the supply chain, investing in people and collaboration among all the stakeholders involved,” says Marco Botta, general manager of Ferrero Hazelnut Company.

“The Hazelnut Agronomy Program demonstrates that sustainability is also built through training, methodology and the ability to bring different areas of expertise into dialogue. Consolidating this programme means strengthening a model in which scientific innovation and the real needs of the supply chain progress together,” states Carlo Alberto Pratesi, president of Eiis.

“Continuing education is crucial to strengthening a strategic supply chain for the country, such as hazelnut cultivation. Already last year, during the first edition, hundreds of agronomists registered, confirming our colleagues' awareness that only through continuous, high-quality professional development can we grow a sector that is calling for expertise and sustainable solutions to improve production,” concludes Mauro Uniformi, president of Conaf.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.