The campaign will reach around 100,000 Italian children, teaching them about the origins of their food, seasonal fruit and vegetables and domestic livestock during courses at selected farms and 'taste workshops'.
A spokesperson for Coldiretti said the organisation had the government's backing for the initiative, which is also designed to encourage consumption of milk and fruit at breakfast.
"In Italy we are a big producer of fruit and vegetables but young people are eating less and less of these foods. We want them to know the healthy properties," he told NutraIngredients.com.
Research commissioned by the group has also found that many young people do not eat breakfast. US studies have shown that people who skip breakfast are more likely to put on weight.
An estimated 36 per cent of Italian ten-year-olds are either obese or overweight, one of the highest rates in Europe.
Coldiretti is also promoting vending machines containing healthy products like milk, apples and baby carrots in schools, and calling for healthier school meals.