EU agriculture ministers have been urged by the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) not to take the presence of young farmers in Europe for granted.
CEJA president Peter Meedendorp said it is necessary to facilitate access to affordable, safe, and economically viable tools which will help enable young farmers to face up to challenges in the sector.
New technologies hold “great potential” for enhancing farm efficiency and environmental sustainability, optimising yields, and safeguarding farmers’ work-life balance, CEJA said.
Meedendorp addressed ministers during an informal council meeting in Spain on the topic of new technologies for a more sustainable and resilient agriculture today (Tuesday, September 5).
Commenting that the lack of access to capital is a “critical problem” for the young generation, especially now that interest rates are rising, he said some young farmers are wondering:
“How do I get the flexibility to invest in new technologies when I already need to purchase expensive farmland and subscribe to ever higher insurance premiums in the face of intensifying climate risks?”
The council believes focus should be on ways to optimise the uptake of technologies by farmers and make them affordable, understandable, and appropriate according to their farming system.
The CEJA president called for robust funding mechanisms and risk sharing among the value chain actors to support young farmers in accessing new technologies.
New Genomic Techniques
Amid recent debates on the use of New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), he said a “balanced approach” to technology based on scientific assessment is needed without falling into polarisations.
However, young farmers are calling for a framework that ensures clarity on patentability, pricing, and the definitions related to the techniques.
The council representing young farmers in the EU, which believes in the potential of NGTs to “enhance” agricultural sustainability and farmers’ resilience, commented:
“Technology must serve the fight for a sustainable future in agriculture, which is not only for the environment but also for the well-being of rural communities and all future generations.”