our farmers

The sector is skewed toward free-range livestock farming, often with excessive animal loads that deplete soils, or propped up by pasture seeding and irrigation, or by the widespread use of imported animal feed.

Monocultures and intensive practices consume excessive resources and obstacle the establishment of different models, while small farms face limited market access and heavy dependence on subsidies.

Economically successful examples are rare, and where they exist they tend to emphasize branding and luxury positioning.

The island’s economy as a whole rests on the tertiary sector and remains heavily dependent on funding from the Italian state. Agriculture accounts for only about 4% of GDP (compared to 8% for tourism) and employs 6% of the workforce — yet some 23% of Sardinia’s businesses are tied to farming.

Most farms are small and rely on family labor. As anecdotally shown in our farmers’ stories, people often continue farming out of passion and a desire to preserve endangered knowledge. They often have side jobs — or farm as a side job — to sustain themselves economically.

Aristeu aims to support some of these initiatives by offering them a new market and higher revenues. At the same time, it seeks to share the farmers’ stories and the broader story of Sardinian agriculture honestly and without embellishment.