Thematic Group on Gen Z: Leading Generational Renewal in Farming
This Thematic Group explored key policy and practice changes to boost youth engagement in farming, assessed their future roles, and proposed tailored CAP measures and scenarios to better support generational renewal over the next decade.
Context
In the evolving landscape of agriculture, young people are crucial in shaping the future of farming and rural areas. Future farmers and rural areas must be deeply integrated, with agricultural activities embedded in local economic and social environments. Generational renewal goes beyond merely reducing the average age of farmers in the EU. It involves understanding the needs and aspirations of young people living in rural areas, who could drive the future of farming and vice versa. It is important to empower the new generation of young farmers to harness the full benefits of technology and innovation for sustainable farming practices in Europe.
Furthermore, it is vital for young people to engage in diverse networks and communities in rural areas, including professional and cultural groups, and connections with consumers, researchers, and business partners. These networks and communities facilitate information exchange, collaboration, and innovation, empowering the next generation of farmers to adapt to new challenges, learn, interact, socialise, and seize new opportunities. Policies that support the creation and management of these networks and communities will be crucial for improving the attractiveness and resilience of rural areas and future farmers.
The CAP 2023-2027 not only facilitates the establishment of young farmers and new entrants, it also supports young entrepreneurs across various economic sectors, enhancing their social inclusion and community engagement. This policy aims to strengthen the socio-economic fabric, making rural areas more attractive for young people to live and work in, thereby investing in rural viability and vitality.
Building on existing groundwork, this Thematic Group (TG) aimed to explore the key characteristics of future farmers from the perspective of young people. This TG had Generation Z as its main target group, as they are the ones looking towards their future.
Objectives
- Discuss the key characteristics and roles of future farmers. This exchange will also consider the identified challenges and opportunities for young and aspiring farmers over the next 10 years, and review the current CAP measures.
- Explore the role of networks and communities in rural areas and their importance for young aspiring farmers.
- Examine potential future scenarios and suggest policy recommendations to support generational renewal in agriculture and to empower future farmers to be sustainable and resilient in the long term.
Activities
The first TG meeting (Brussels, 23 October 2024) enabled TG members to review the challenges and opportunities facing young people in rural areas who aspire to or are involved in agriculture. The group discussed the key characteristics and roles of five ‘future farmers’ profiles and looked at aspects such as farm size, production methods, economic, social and environmental sustainability and rural contexts.
At the second TG meeting (Brussels, 11 December 2024), members continued sharing insights on good practices that support the involvement and empowerment of young people in agriculture, promote smooth farm succession, and encourage the transfer of knowledge and access to training and resources. The group identified policies and key elements that will support diverse farmer profiles over the next decade, ensuring alignment with future agricultural needs and facilitating generational transition.
In addition, two online informal exchanges – led by TG members – enabled the group to explore, respectively, the interconnected nature of sustainability and profitability in farming, and the transformative potential of community and collaboration in agriculture. Key insights from the informal meetings are captured in the highlights report of the second TG meeting.
Key findings
TG members developed action-oriented recommendations to support generational renewal in agriculture and to empower future farmers to be sustainable and resilient in the long term. The recommendations focus on seven areas of action:
- Education and skill development – suggesting enhanced educational programmes, practical training opportunities and EU-wide exchange programmes
- Access to land and financial support – a key area where young farmers would benefit from land access initiatives, tailored financial support and a supportive credit system
- Support to sustainable practices through incentives for sustainability and the adoption of digital tools and modern technologies, as well as supporting the shift toward organic farming, agroecology and energy-efficient methods
- Support to the social dimension of farming – considering work-life balance, gender balance and improving the public perception of farming (topics explored more in detail by the Thematic Groups on Supporting the Mental Health of Farmers and Farming Communities and on Valuing Farmers' Wider Contributions to Society)
- Reforming CAP payments – raising conditionality for sustainability, redefining the eligibility criteria for CAP direct payments, reforming the direct payment system and introducing simplification (as explored in the Thematic Group on Effective Approaches for Simplification within the CAP)
- Strengthening access to market and local food systems – promoting fair access to trade and markets and collaborative market frameworks as well as urban and local food systems
Scroll down this page to find all the outputs of this Thematic Group and relevant resources related to this topic.
resources about this theme in our Publications section and in our Good Practice database.
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