PDF Print

ACTIVITIES

Seminars for agricultural technicians, operators and entrepreneurs

In order to carry out its institutional tasks and to emphasize the importance of farming in the history of the Abbey, the Giustiniani-Bandini Foundation organizes, every year, an Advanced Course for agricultural technicians, operators and entrepreneurs.
This series of seminars focuses on the protection of environment and agriculture, and runs from October till February. The lectures  are presented by leading scholars and deal with various agricultural activities and with new issues in Agriculture.
The seminars can be attended by young technicians and entrepreneurs, students and enthusiasts.

Program 2013-2014

Cermis

CERMIS (Centro Ricerche e Sperimentazione per il Miglioramento Vegetale) is a research and testing centre for plant improvement called after Nicola Strampelli. It was founded in 1983 and was fostered by the Giustiniani-Bandini Foundation, and the Macerata Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture (Camera di Commercio, Industria, Artigianato e Agricoltura).
Its premises are in Fiastra Abbey Nature Reserve.
The Centre monitors and conducts a research program on cereal growing, a fundamental sector in regional agriculture, and on land fertility.

At the present time, the Centre is also focusing its research program on environmental sustainability in agriculture, with the aim of  providing technical assistance and encouraging agriculture development.

Farm Business

Agriculture has always played a very important role in the development of the territory belonging to the Nature Reserve, and it is for this reason that the Giustiniani-Bandini Foundation has established a farm business. It cultivates ca. 988 acres employing salaried workers, while the remaining 2470 acres are cultivated by farmers who live in the farmhouses scattered throughout the area surrounding the Abbey.
In these last few years an environmentally-friendly agriculture has been adopted: the farm grows, in rotation, cereals, alfalfa, sunflowers, and peas using a “no-till” technique.
Irrigation and raising of two successive crops on the same field are not adopted anymore. 50% of fertilizers are organic. In this way it is possible to improve soil quality and to maintain production rates in accordance with the principles of the Nature Reserve.