Generational Renewal: Youth Voices are Speaking Up!

Young farmers, and especially young organic farmers, are currently facing multiple challenges such as difficulties in accessing land, funding, markets and profitability.

The Organics Europe Youth Network calls for ambitious changes in European agricultural policies to ensure that food and farming becomes more attractive paths for young people. They believe that the European Union must promote organic farming and agroecological practices to encourage generational renewal, as young people are more attracted to a career in this sustainable sector. Indeed, organic practices can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in synergy with providing benefits for biodiversity protection while contributing to the adaptation by making farming systems more resilient to the effects of climate change.

The European Commission is planning to publish the Generational Renewal Strategy in October and organised a Call for Evidence to collect inputs from experts and stakeholders. The Youth Organics Network, as represented by our very own Claire Langrish, submitted a Position Paper as an opportunity to send a strong signal to the Commission and have a strategic impact on the upcoming Strategy. 

The paper brings to light the pressing need for both targeted and cross-sectoral policy reforms to support the next generation working across in organic and agroecological sectors. It offers a clear set of recommendations aimed at removing barriers young people face when entering the sector:

🔑 Improve and secure access to land-prioritisation and regulation

📜 Ensure fairer and targeted CAP funds towards youth and organic

💸 Expand access to finance and fair markets for young entrepreneurs

💪🏽 Strengthen farmer position in the supply chain

🔗 Consider young entrepreneurs throughout the value chains

🙋🏾‍♀️ Invest in holistic training, mentorship, and knowledge exchange

🏣 Address structural rural vitality through improved services and development

The hope is that the paper will influence the Commission's Strategy on Generational Renewal which will be published in September this year. #YouthVoices are speaking up! 

You can read the position paper here.

We now need a similar focus and push in the UK – we share the similar challenges and opportunities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Our agricultural policies are lacking and have not grasped the need for generational renewal. The proposed horticultural strategy and support for organics via agri-environment schemes have stalled.

Thank you Organics Europe Youth Network for leading the way, we have lessons to learn.