News |

Policy Insight publications: CAP support for agroforestry, gender equality and younger generations

Common Agricultural Policy support for agroforestry, gender equality and younger generations are featured in three new editions of our Policy Insight series.

Opportunities offered through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for agroforestry, gender equality and younger generations are featured in new editions of our Policy Insight series.

Our Policy Insight series provides short informative perspectives in catchy formats presenting practical information about latest developments for readers interested in the implementation of EU agri-food policy.

Enhancing gender equality

Gender equality continues to be an important strategic objective for all European policies. Hence the new Policy Insight on Enhancing gender equality in EU agri-food systems highlights how the CAP is purposely designed to support actions and targets that benefit all EU citizens. It confirms the CAP’s strategic emphasis on fairness and explains that gender equality in agriculture can be advanced by building capacity to formulate and implement evidence-based policies that are responsive to the needs of rural women and women in agriculture.

Other insights note that, as farmers, foresters and active rural community members, women will always be vital to the long-term sustainability and resilience of rural Europe. Calls to action include encouraging national networks, the EU CAP Network and partners to increase understanding on this by enhancing the visibility of women’s success stories in agri-food value chains and rural development.

Policy Insight

The benefits of agroforestry

Agroforestry is the other new topic in our Policy Insight series, which points to international analysis by the United Nations (UN) advocating wider uptake of agroforestry. The UN observes that such land use systems tend to be more resilient than conventional agriculture to environmental shocks and the effects of climate change. Depending on the system and local conditions, agroforestry can improve crop productivity while allowing for better food security and nutrition as well as support a high percentage of biodiversity in natural forests.

Nevertheless, despite the high productivity potential of agroforestry systems in Europe, farmers may still perceive them as less productive and thus financially risky. CAP support can be directed to facilitate greater uptake of agroforestry through demonstrations of successful agroforestry systems to address gaps in knowledge about agroforestry’s multiple benefits. Accordingly, the Policy Insight article raises awareness about how Member States’ national CAP strategic plans (CSP) can support the benefits of agroforestry for EU citizens.

Helping younger generations find employment in rural areas

CSP support for younger generations of EU citizens is featured in a third new edition of the Policy Insight series. This recognises that young people represent an important pool of talent for sustaining the future of rural Europe. The content spotlights a useful variety of opportunities available from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and elsewhere to help younger generations find employment in rural areas by sourcing funding for their business ideas. This includes CSP interventions that can create conditions which enable young people to fulfil their potential in rural areas by financing rural employment and entrepreneurship as well as vocational training. It confirms funding targets for young farmers and a section is dedicated to examples of LEADER support for youth.

The CAP provides a new policy framework, primarily through a specific objective 7 dedicated to generational renewal, which, together with national instruments, will support young people setting up in farming, while creating good working and living conditions in rural areas.

This will include the implementation of the interventions in favour for young farmers including those living in rural areas. There will be more innovative approaches to generational renewal - such as succession agreements, support for new farmers and incentives for young female farmers.

Resources

English language

Enhancing gender equality in EU agri-food systems

(PDF – 4.19 MB)

English language

Policy Insights - Agroforestry opportunities

(PDF – 9.8 MB)

English language

Funding rural Europe’s future: Investing in the next generation

(PDF – 8.15 MB)