Southern Italy is experiencing one of the greatest challenges in its recent history: depopulation. Over the past twenty years, the South has lost over 700,000 residents, and according to estimates from the Svimez report, the population could decline by another 8 million by 2080.
Yet, in this complex scenario, stories of return, courage, and innovation are born.
Gabriele's choice: to return to Ruffano and revolutionize tradition
After years dedicated to food exports and working abroad, Gabriele decided to return to his hometown, Ruffano, in the heart of Salento. Here, he took over the family grain farm and transformed it, focusing entirely on quality. The result? Artisanal pasta capable of conquering international palates and becoming an ambassador for a region that refuses to surrender to depopulation.
Food as a lever for development
“Focusing on quality can help us best enhance the local area,” says Gabriele.
This is the philosophy that guides not only his company, but also Santi Paduli , the project supported by the Fondazione con il Sud that unites local producers, schools, and young people. They all chose to stay or return, believing in a future rooted in their homeland.
The message is clear: if we all demanded healthy food, someone close to us would be willing to produce it. Food thus becomes the cornerstone around which to build a local, sustainable, and ethical economy.
Biodiversity and landscape: rebirth after Xylella
Anti-depopulation policies also involve landscape conservation. After the devastation caused by Xylella, biodiversity replanting began: new trees, new crops, new life. Biodiversity is life, and it is the key to restoring a future to a territory at risk of extinction.
A new narrative for the South
This is not just the story of a farm, but of an entire community that has chosen to resist. Through pasta, bread, flour, and artisanal products, Salento once again speaks to the world, transforming its fragilities into opportunities. Food is no longer just nourishment, but an active development policy, a bridge between the past and the future.
