Today, one of the World Farmers Markets Coalition’s founding members, Fondazione Campagna Amica, together with Coldiretti and Fondazione Aletheia, launched an unprecedented national initiative that brings farmers markets directly into hospitals across Italy.
The initiative, involving 70 hospitals nationwide, marks the beginning of a new alliance between farmers and the medical community, united by a shared goal: promoting healthy diets as a cornerstone of disease prevention and improving citizens’ quality of life.
The official launch took place at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS in Rome, alongside simultaneous activities in leading healthcare institutions throughout the country, including hospitals in Milan, Genova, Bologna, Bari, Palermo, Naples, Turin, Olbia and many other Italian cities.
Food as Prevention
The initiative is built on a simple but powerful message: health begins with the food we eat.
Through farmers markets hosted within hospital grounds, patients, healthcare professionals, visitors and local communities can access fresh, seasonal and locally produced food while learning about the importance of healthy eating patterns based on the Mediterranean Diet.
The campaign also aims to raise awareness of the growing health risks associated with highly processed foods and diets rich in artificial additives, which scientific research increasingly links to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders and other chronic illnesses.
Alongside the markets, participating hospitals are hosting educational activities and exhibitions illustrating the health benefits of fresh, minimally processed foods compared with ultra-processed products. During the launch event in Rome, the findings of the Coldiretti-Censis report Eating Well to Live Better were also presented, offering new insights into Italians’ consumption of junk food and changing dietary habits.
Bringing Farmers Closer to Communities
The initiative demonstrates how farmers markets can serve not only as places of commerce but also as spaces for education, prevention and community wellbeing.
Visitors to the hospital markets can discover products that are central to the Mediterranean Diet, including extra virgin olive oil, legumes, fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and other locally produced foods, highlighting their role in supporting cardiovascular health, cognitive function, metabolism and the immune system.
By connecting local farmers directly with healthcare settings, the initiative reinforces the value of short food supply chains while encouraging healthier and more informed food choices.
A Shared Vision for Healthier Food Systems
At the World Farmers Markets Coalition, we welcome initiatives that strengthen the connection between agriculture, public health and local communities.
Farmers markets have long demonstrated their ability to improve access to fresh, nutritious food while supporting family farmers and local economies. Bringing these markets into hospitals further illustrates their potential to contribute to healthier, more resilient food systems where prevention, sustainability and local production go hand in hand.
We congratulate our member Fondazione Campagna Amica and all partners involved for pioneering an initiative that showcases how farmers markets can become powerful allies in promoting both human and planetary health.
