Publication of Down to Earth second Thematic Report
Down to Earth second Joint Thematic Report presents an analysis of the main access barriers faced by young farmers in depopulated rural areas across Europe, it finds common challenges and proposes a set of common solutions and recommendations to tackle them, emphasising the need for comprehensive policies that are both context-specific and cross-cutting.
Following on the fourth Down to Earth study visit in the Slovenian region of Gorenjska, we officially release Down to Earth second Joint Thematic Report, which provides a comprehensive analysis of the topic of Year 2: “Access barriers to young farmers in depopulated areas” in Down to Earth regions, identifying common challenges and drawing a set of recommendations.
The Thematic Report was officially presented in Down to Earth’s second Thematic Conference, held in Naklo, Slovenia, on February 4th 2025. The event featured local, regional and national stakeholders.
Generational renewal and sustainable rural development
Rural regions in Europe affected by depopulation and land abandonment are particularly vulnerable to the growing impacts of climate change. Retaining the existing population and promoting the installation of newcomers appear as essential strategies to foster rural development and prevent further abandonment of rural lands. Equally important is the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices to help mitigate environmental degradation. As rural populations continue to age, generational renewal becomes a key challenge to address, yet young farmers face multiple barriers to access and remain in the agricultural sector.
A bottom-up, comparative analysis
Down to Earth’s second Joint Thematic Report includes a comprehensive analysis of the main barriers faced by young farmers in depopulated rural areas around Europe. It was presented during the project’s second Thematic Conference on the Interdependency between Climate Change, Agriculture and Rural Development with a Focus on the Youth, by Ms. Tania Gesto Casás (Fundación Juana de Vega) and Dr. Konstantinos Antonopoulos (University of Patras). Our partners provided a detailed overview of the methodology behind the report’s analysis, as well as its main outcomes.
The report draws on the local thematic analysis carried out in the Down to Earth regions by the project partners and local stakeholders. The analysis included studies of demographic, economic, socio-cultural, institutional and territorial aspects, as well as a thorough SWOT analysis. The joint report was then informed by the identification of context-specific challenges, as well as the expert report developed by Amaterra for the Down to Earth project, and the examination of both local and regional policies. It provides a comprehensive overview of the regions and the most common challenges faced by young farmers, structured along three thematic categories:
- Economic factors
- Demographic factors
- Socio-cultural factors
Recommendations
The analysis extracted lessons learnt and resulted in eight key proposals for policy improvements. They consist of:
- Facilitating long-term access to land,
- offering financial support mechanisms,
- implementing training programmes and setting up advisory networks,
- promoting gender equity and social inclusion,
- investing in rural infrastructure and enhancing urban-rural linkages,
- developing innovative models and farm testing programmes,
- supporting the use of advanced agricultural technologies,
- strengthening the role of local authorities.
➡️ Download the Infographic Summary in English (also available in German, Greek, Italian, Romanian and Spanish)