Cassa Per il Mezzogiorno

1. Cassa Per ilMezzogiorno Primary Activities

2. Latifundia – system of ownership where absentee landlords owned large estates • Land was rented to peasants in small holdings often smaller than 3 hectares called minifundia • After 1950 land was bought by the state and redistributed to the landless labourers • Holding size was increased to between 5-50 hectares • Farmers trained in modern efficient farming methods

3. 3 main factors put in place to help this transition: • Irrigation scheme to promote summer growth • Improved transport system • New villages and towns built to provide services • Today 1 in 10 of the regions workforce is involved in farming • The Mezzogiorno is now a leading supplier of citrus fruits, vegetables and olives • The most successful areas are on the coastal lowlands and river valleys

4. The Metapontino is a coastal strip in the Gulf of Taranto. Once was a malarial swamp but drained as part of lad reform programme • Using water from 5 rivers irrigation helps produce a variety of cash crops e.g. citrus fruits, peaches, grapes, strawberries, flowers, and salad crops.

5. Horticulture - refers to gardening on a smaller scale, while agriculture refers to the large-scale cultivation of crops. • The work particularly involves fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs, and turf. Horticulturists work to improve crop yield, quality, nutritional value, and resistance to insectsand diseases.