Generational renewal requires making rural areas a viable choice for young people, FAO says

Creating a new generation of farmers requires more than encouraging young people to enter agriculture. It means ensuring that they can build viable livelihoods, access land, finance and markets, and see rural areas as places where they can build their future.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu opened the High-Level Ministerial Conference on Generational Renewal in Rural Areas alongside David Vlajčić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Croatia. 

Building on this message, Viorel Gutu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, addressed the challenges and opportunities facing younger generations across Europe and Central Asia during a high-level panel discussion on generational renewal.

The conference brought together representatives of national and regional authorities and other actors involved in rural and agricultural development to discuss the demographic challenges facing agriculture and rural areas and the policies needed to address them. The discussions took place as countries consider the future of agricultural and rural development policies, including the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027. 

Across Europe and Central Asia, rural depopulation, ageing populations and youth outmigration are affecting countries with very different economic conditions and agricultural structures. In the European Union (EU), the average age of farmers has risen from 55 in 2010 to 57, while fewer than 12 percent of farms are managed by people under 40. 

Yet the ageing of agriculture is not only a demographic concern. Younger farmers bring skills and different approaches to agricultural production. In the EU, 20 percent of farmers under 40 have completed full agricultural training, compared with only 4 percent of farmers aged 65 and above. Young farmers are also more inclined towards organic production. 

“Generational renewal cannot simply mean replacing an older farmer with a younger farmer. It means creating conditions in which young people see a viable future in rural areas,” Gutu said.

For many young people, however, significant barriers remain. Access to land, finance and markets, as well as skills, infrastructure, services and economic opportunities, can determine whether they are able to establish viable farms and agrifood businesses or find decent rural employment. These constraints are often greater for young rural women and young people in disadvantaged circumstances, including those living in remote areas or coming from vulnerable communities. The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 highlights the importance of ensuring equal access to resources, opportunities and leadership.

“Addressing these barriers requires looking beyond individual agricultural support measures. Generational renewal depends on the interaction of agricultural, demographic and regional development policies and on cooperation among national and regional authorities. Education, digital connectivity, transport infrastructure and access to social, cultural and health services all contribute to creating rural areas where young people can build their lives and livelihoods,” Gutu explained. 

FAO advocates for an integrated approach that connects access to land, skills, finance and markets with entrepreneurship, decent employment and quality of life in rural areas. Young farmers are ready to invest. EU commercial farms managed by young farmers invest, on average, 1.5 times more per hectare in fixed assets than farms managed by older farmers. 

“Generational renewal is not only a demographic or social imperative. It is an investment in innovation, competitiveness and the future resilience of agriculture,” Gutu said. 

FAO supports countries across Europe and Central Asia in generating evidence on the needs and aspirations of rural youth and translating it into policies and programmes that strengthen skills, entrepreneurship, employment pathways and access to opportunities. The Organization also creates platforms that connect young people with governments, academia, the private sector and other partners. Since 2023, these have included two Regional Rural Youth Forums, this year's youth consultation and the Generation YSInvest event held during the 2026 FAO Regional Conference for Europe in Tajikistan, where, for the first time, youth representatives delivered their joint statement.

“Generational renewal is ultimately about creating choice – enabling young people to remain in, return to or invest in rural areas because they see a future there,” Gutu concluded. “The future of agrifood systems in our region will depend on how we empower the next generation to shape them today.” 

© FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto