At 74, she's decided to focus on olives and oil. She even has a plot of land ready, at "Su Suexiu Mannu," for planting new trees. Cecilia Asuni, originally from Sinnai, daughter of Severino, one of the town's first fountain workers, has decided to shed her pensioner's clothes and embark on this new venture. She's doing it from the ground up, attending the Maracalagonis Agricultural Evening School, which is growing in enrollment in the heart of Campidano.
The story
"I'm originally from Sinnai," says Cecilia Asuni, "I live in Settimo and am the mother of two children, one with a degree, the other attending university. As a girl, I worked in a factory on Via Cavaro in Cagliari, where they made trousers on an industrial scale. Then I worked as a shop assistant in a bakery on Via Colletta, in Sinnai. I attended until eighth grade. I love nature, and I own a few plots of land: I'm going to plant an olive grove. So I decided to attend the agricultural school in Maracalagonis. To learn. It's always been my dream. At 74, there's still a lot you can do."
The course
Cecilia Asuni is one of sixty students enrolled at the Maracalagonis high school. "I'm having a great time; I'm in my third year. I've always loved the land, ever since I was a child. After all, my hometown, Sinnai, has a history of agriculture and pastoralism." The students include young people, mothers, retirees, and hobbyists. The professional agricultural institute, which is part of the Duca degli Abruzzi Agricultural Technical Institute in Elmas, has thus confirmed itself once again this year as a benchmark for technical and professional training in the agricultural sector in the Campidano area of Cagliari.
The lessons
"Our Institute," says Professor Ettore Crobu, an expert in the environment and land use planning, and current president of the Order of Agronomists and Foresters of the former Province of Cagliari, "offers a curriculum that combines rural tradition and technological innovation. It enriches the curriculum with its own professional experience and direct contact with the world of agricultural professions. The technical agricultural diploma offers numerous career opportunities: from farm and agri-food management to technical consultancy, from greenery and land maintenance to collaboration with public and private sector entities. It also allows access to all university faculties, offering graduates new opportunities for growth and specialization." Professor Mario Asquer, the director, is an expert in greenery and the environment. "The practical activities on the Institute's land and in the laboratories," says Asquer, "allow students to immediately put into practice what they learn in the classroom. Agriculture," concludes Professor Asquer, "is knowledge, passion, and respect for the land: every generation has something to learn and something to teach."
Antonio Serreli