Agriculture

Did you know only 11% of EU farmers are under 40?

Older man and child standing on a vineyard

There are about 10.3 million farmers in the EU, one third (32%) of whom have an age of 65 years or more. Only 11% of farms are run by farmers under 40. However, young farmers tend to manage larger farms in terms of area, livestock, and output [1]. Attracting young people to farming will be important to reinvigorate rural communities and ensure our future food supply.

A report from the European Council of Young Farmers shows that a large majority of young farmers feel responsible for guaranteeing a sustainable agricultural sector [2]. Young farmers also tend to be more eager to embrace innovative technologies and sustainable agricultural practices [3] to tackle the challenge of growing demand for food with shrinking natural resources.

Person holding a tablet pc in a greenhouse. Headline: What does smart farming really mean?

[1] Young farmers | European Commission (europa.eu)
[2] CEJA (2019) Survey: Building a Sustainable Sector
[3] A 2019 survey by DG AGRI and the European Investment Bank confirms that young farmers take loans most frequently to invest in mechanization and innovative solutions. EIB to unlock EUR 2 billion for agriculture across Europe with special support for young farmers.