Agricultural education in Italian primary school public policies (1861-1900)

This chapter examines the development of agricultural education in Italian primary schools between national unification and the end of the nineteenth century, focusing on public policies, institutional reforms, and the transmission of agricultural knowledge. Drawing on legislative sources, archival documentation, educational debates, and contemporary teaching manuals, it analyses the efforts of the Italian state to introduce agricultural instruction into elementary education and teacher training. Particular attention is devoted to the interaction between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, local institutions, and agricultural associations. The chapter explores the evolution of teaching methods, including practical activities, school gardens, and experimental plots, as well as the growing importance of teachers as intermediaries between scientific knowledge and rural communities. It highlights the influence of European pedagogical models and the challenges encountered in implementing educational reforms, including limited financial resources, institutional difficulties, and the socioeconomic conditions of post-unification Italy. The study shows how agricultural education became part of broader efforts to modernise Italian agriculture, promote rural development, and strengthen the relationship between education, scientific knowledge, and economic progress, while also revealing the limitations and uneven outcomes of these initiatives.