Set in the hills of Monferrato, an experimental farm is showing that producing food and protecting biodiversity do not have to be opposing goals. But it is also clear that there is still a long way to go, especially because there are no ready made solutions.
The hills of Monferrato in Piedmont form a striking landscape and are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yet beneath this postcard beauty, the soil reflects decades of intensive farming.
This is not an exception. The farming model developed in the late twentieth century, driven by the so called Green Revolution, is now showing clear limitations. Its costs are increasingly visible in soil degradation and loss of biodiversity, among other impacts. At the same time, alternative approaches still struggle to establish themselves in a market that remains dominated by conventional systems.
This is why Fondazione Capellino has chosen to invest in the Regenerating Villa Fortuna (RVF), project, a farm that goes beyond organic farming. It acts as a living laboratory, testing the idea that food can be produced without destroying the ecosystems that make it possible. The project is still in its early stages and faces many challenges, which is precisely why it is so important.
Rethinking how we use the land
The agricultural model of the second half of the twentieth century treated land as something to be controlled: synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and large scale monocultures. This system increased yields, but also contributed to pollution of air and water, and the loss of many local species.
Regenerating Villa Fortuna takes a different approach. It sees farmland as a complex ecosystem that needs to be restored and protected.
Of the estate’s 22 hectares, only 7 are used for production. The remaining 15 have been returned to woodland and wildlife, with strict limits on hunting and human access across 12 hectares.
This is a form of biodiverse and regenerative agriculture, where biodiversity is integrated into the farming system itself. Agroforestry orchards, experimental organic vineyards, and soils enriched through compost and earthworms replace synthetic inputs. The aim is to produce food in a way that supports natural systems, showing that biodiversity is not a burden, but a vital source of long term fertility.
It is an approach that many would consider economically challenging.
However, the conventional agricultural system also relies heavily on public support. For example, European agriculture benefits significantly from funding through the Common Agricultural Policy. Given that these resources come from society as a whole, it is worth asking what kind of agriculture should be supported, and which systems deliver the greatest overall benefit in return.
It is precisely this question that Regenerating Villa Fortuna is trying to explore in a practical and scientific way.
Can we feed a growing population without damaging the planet?
From water retention to soil microbial health, from the balance between predators and pests to resilience under climate change, the key focus at Villa Fortuna is experimentation.
This experimentation takes into account differences in soil types and local microclimates, with the aim of developing approaches that could, in time, be tested and adapted in other contexts.
The broader question remains: is it possible to feed nearly nine billion people without exhausting the planet that sustains us?
At this stage, Villa Fortuna does not claim to have a final answer. It is not yet clear whether this model can be scaled widely, or what compromises might be needed. However, this is exactly what the project is designed to investigate.
A regenerative economic model
Fondazione Capellino is not alone in exploring these ideas, but one of the main barriers is funding. Experimental work is expensive and does not always produce immediate financial returns.
This is where the Foundation’s economic model plays an important role.
Behind Regenerating Villa Fortuna is the principle of the Reintegration Economy. Fondazione Capellino, the sole owner of Almo Nature, reinvests all profits into its mission: the protection of biodiversity.