A priest in Tuscany has taken an entrepreneurial approach toward encouraging Catholic families to have more children.

According to RNS, Rev Stefano Bimbi is offering parishioners in the village of Staggia a "baby bonus" of 2,000 euros when they have three or more children. But there's a catch – the bonus is paid only when the child is baptised. Furthermore, it only applies to Italian couples who were married in the church and live in the village.

However, Bimbi said the move could help Catholic couples. "Our parish wants to give concrete help in this moment of crisis for families, that with courage accept the gift of a child!" he wrote in the announcement.

He said that a sum of money had been set aside by the parish's economic affairs council to fund the baby project.

Italy was described in February as a "dying country" by health minister Beatrice Lorenzin following the publication of population statistics for 2014. These showed that fewer babies were born in Italy than in any other year since the modern state was formed in 1861.

The population is shrinking in the poorer south, where gross domestic product is about half that in the centre and north.

As part of its attempt to stem the decline, the Italian government has promised low-income families 80 euros a month for each child under three years old.