Mapping young farmers’ choice to pursue Geographical Indication in a rural context: application of fuzzy cognitive map

Abstract The shortage of young people in agriculture and the decline of rural areas are increasingly pressing issues that capture the attention of European policymakers and researchers. Despite the low rate of youth involved in agricultural production, recent data reveal a significant proportion of young farmers in Italy that are engaged in geographical indication (GI) production. Statistics provide trend analysis, but they alone are not sufficient in clarifying the motivations behind young people’s decision-making. We conducted a qualitative study of Sicilian youth involved in GI to understand their motivations to pursue GI certification and the implications for youth embeddedness in rural areas. Using a fuzzy cognitive map (FCM), qualitative data have been translated in quantitative, giving evidence on key variables and their inter-relationships that influence young people's decision-making in a GI complex system. A total of twenty-two categorized variables have been identified. Results show how the young entrepreneurs' thinking in GI is structured, based on the cause-effect relationships between the variables. This study finds evidence that the GI system facilitates young generations of farmers in developing a personal approach to modern agribusiness starting from traditions and origins. At the same time, it gives evidence of a new perspective for involving young people in agricultural careers. In this sense, the present research contributes to the literature on factors that add attractiveness to the agricultural sector, to lead researchers and policymakers in dealing with alternative strategies for incentivizing youth involvement in farming.