"Observe and imitate the work of the colonizer": agricultural education for Africans in the Italian colonies

From the early years of the Twentieth century, Italy tried to organize a more rational agricul- tural exploitation of its overseas territories. Like other European colonial powers, Italy had to deal with the issue of “agricultural education” for its African subjects, both for political and social reasons, and for economic purposes — e.g. improving and increasing local production. Using published and unpublished sources, this article provides a general analysis of the agri- cultural education for Africans in the Italian colonies, examining suggestions, projects, and concrete results of officials and agronomists from the early Twentieth century until the col- lapse of the empire. The article aims to clarify the contribution of liberal Italy and, above all, of fascism to an important aspect of agricultural propaganda and, therefore, of technical as- sistance to African farmers.

Keywords: Italian colonies, agricultural education, fascism, agronomists, agricultural propa- ganda, African farmers

Riccardo De Robertis, "Osservare e imitare l’opera del metropolitano": l’educazione agricola degli africani nelle colonie italiane in "ITALIA CONTEMPORANEA" 302/2023, pp 34-55, DOI: 10.3280/IC2023-302002