A "high-level summit" on generational renewal in farming will take place in Co. Kildare next month.

The event - the AgRenew Ireland Summit - is organised by the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), and will take place on November 5 at the Killashee House Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare.

The event is set to be opened by Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Martin Heydon, and European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen will make a contribution to the meeting remotely from Brussels.

Only 4% of Irish farmers are under 35, while 37% are over 65, with ICOS saying that "many hurdles stand in the way of young people smoothly taking over the running of the family farm and subsequently getting involved in their local co-operative".

"Across Europe, the average farmer age is 57 while just 1 in 30 are women farmers under the age of 40," ICOS said.

The theme of the AgRenew Ireland Summit is 'New Blood, Stronger Farming'.

The event is being run in association with Ireland's presidency of the Council of the EU and the Golden Jubilee Trust, a Dublin-based charity for promoting the agricultural co-operative movement.

ICOS said the event will bring together key stakeholders with the aim of addressing the challenges facing willing young farmers and finding "legitimate and workable pathways" to securing the next generation of farmers and co-op leaders.

Other speakers at the event will include farmers, academics, politicians and co-op leaders.

It will also feature several breakout sessions aimed at "assembling constructive proposals" on generational renewal.

ICOS said the barriers to generational renewal are "wide and varied" and include access to land, access to finance, and excessive bureaucracy.

"In a changing world, geopolitical uncertainty, climate change, market volatility and stricter rules and regulations have added further challenges for young people who want to dedicate their lives to working the land for a living," the association said.

Commenting ahead of the event, Minister Martin Heydon said: "The challenge of generational renewal in farming is widely recognised at both national and EU level.

"It is important that we have skilled, innovative young farmers coming into the sector to secure a viable and sustainable future for Irish farming," the minister added.

"We must ensure farming offers a rewarding and sustainable livelihood for the next generation. As Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we have an important opportunity to advance this issue at European level," he said.

Edward Carr, president of ICOS, said: "Generational renewal was not a phrase we often heard in the past but now it is front and centre to every discussion and debate about the future of farming both in Ireland and across Europe.

"This summit brings together sharp minds from Ireland and abroad and we will hear real life stories from farmers, young and old, about the challenges and the solutions for the next generation of farmers and food producers," Carr added.