IFAJ Boosts Italian Guild’s Bari Meeting

UNARGA, the Italian guild of agricultural journalists, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the World Agricultural Press Congress with a panel discussion on global trends in agricultural journalism featuring IFAJ President Steve Werblow and European Network of Agricultural Journalists Yanne Boloh.

The program was sponsored by Agrilevante, a major trade fair drawing participants from around the Mediterrenean organized by FederUnacoma. The organization also organizes the EIMA international trade show in Bologna every two years. Simona Rapastella, director general of FederUnacoma, UNARGA president Roberto Zalambani, and Michele Peragine, president of the Apulia Association of Agricultural Journalists, also participated in the program, which was moderated by IFAJ Executive member Lisa Bellochi.

Bellochi and Zalambani organized the full day of talks, meetings, and press interviews commemorating the 1975 meeting in Italy that brought agricultural journalists together from around the world.

“The food needs of a rapidly expanding global population will require substantial investment in the primary sector, while agriculture is also expected to fulfil numerous strategic functions such as environmental protection, green-space management, and the production of bioenergy and biomaterials,” said Bellochi. “As agriculture broadens its scope, agricultural journalism must also move beyond its traditional boundaries to address increasingly complex topics and value chains—posing a significant professional and cultural challenge. UNARGA, the Italian Guild of Agricultural Journalists, is proud to have hosted a debate at Agrilevante between the world’s leading representatives of agricultural journalism, who provided important insights into the future of professional communication in agriculture.”

IFAJ Vice President Addy Rossi and Secretary-General Adrian Bell also attended the event and provided insights. Werblow said the Agrilevante show provided an excellent opportunity to learn about Mediterrenean agriculture, and that working with UNARGA and ENAJ’s Boloh was an outstanding opportunity.

“It was an honor to participate in UNARGA’s celebration and to prepare for the event with Yanne,” said Werblow. “The opportunity to compare perspectives on global agricultural journalism trends with her, work together to support the Italian guild’s efforts, and explore the future of agricultural media will help us all navigate changes in our industry.”