The Italian National Forum of Social Farming was established to bring together the different initiatives in social farming, and find better ways to dialogue among different worlds (farming, social services and health providers). It has brought together associations, farms and people in a common space that advocates for the improvement of services for disadvantaged groups, people with a disability, youth, women and elderly, in the agricultural sector. It seeks to respond to the need for a space for debate, development and representation at the national and international level of the issues that pertain to social farming. The forum is a voluntary structure which operates thanks to the input of all of its associates. The members of the Forum maintain at the center of their attention the needs and the dignity of the people who work and in live in social farms, environmental sustainability, and the welfare of the territories where they each operate.

• It has developed a Charter of Principles of Social Agriculture which represents a point of reference of the values which guide the initiative. • The Forum has provided a point of reference for any private farm, cooperative, association or health service interested in the topic of social farming. • It has also provided a space for the development of new legislation at different levels (from the regional, to the national and even EU level), i.e. Italian Law 18 August 2015, n. 141, “Disposizioni in materia di agricoltura sociale” (http://www.forumagricolturasociale.it/wpcontent/uploads/2011/09/Legge_141_2015.pdf) • The Forum has carried out conferences, training courses, peer to peer exchanges among communities of practice, as well as connected at the EU level with the DG Agriculture and the European Rural Network. The Forum also supports the numerous initiatives that are developing around SF, with the overall goal of sharing knowledge and information and facilitating the creation of networks.