As the European Commission is preparing in 2025 a Strategy to boost generational renewal in the agricultural sector, Euromontana just released its position paper on how to meet the challenge of generational renewal in mountain agriculture.

Navigating the double challenge of demographic and territorial constraints

Agriculture is one of the mainstays of mountain activities. Mountain farming accounts for 18% of farms in the EU, and as well as feeding the population with high-quality products from sustainable production, it provides essential ecosystem services for mountain soils and habitats. From retaining water in the soil to preventing forest fires, the benefits for these emblematic landscapes and the economy of these territories are numerous.

Yet the risk of land abandonment is three times higher in mountain areas than in non-mountain areas. This is due to a critical structural problem: the ageing and lack of generational renewal in the sector. Only 6.5% of farmers in the EU are under the age of 35, and in upland areas endogenous factors such as natural constraints reducing productivity and the greater impact of climate change requiring greater adaptation are fuelling this problem and undermining the traditional family farming model that has existed for centuries.

Priorities to secure the next generation of mountain farmers

Our demands within and outside the Common Agricultural Policy are structured around the following principles:

• Stronger CAP for young farmers: increase CAP funding for young farmers, with tailored aid for women, new entrants, and mountain areas.
• More support for mountain farming: allocate 15% of CAP to mountain areas and adapt measures to prevent land abandonment.
• Better advice and succession Tools: expand advisory services, test farms, and succession support to ease farm takeovers.
• Target regional funds for rural areas: dedicate 25% of EU funds to rural areas, including 10% for mountains, to improve services and infrastructure.
• Smarter, rural-proofed policies: apply rural proofing, improve land data, and ensure joined-up policies for young rural populations.
• Promote farming careers and mobility: invest in rural education, vocational training, and exchange programmes to make farming attractive.

This is why generational renewal is a multifaceted challenge that cannot be addressed by the CAP alone, and why it is crucial for the European Commission, Member States and regions to coordinate policies that boost the attractiveness of farming as a profession.