Only 12% of farmers in Europe are under 40, according to figures cited at an anniversary event for the Institut Agrícola Català de Sant Isidre (Iacsi). The association warned that the lack of younger people entering agriculture raises questions about who will farm the land, care for livestock and manage forests in the future.
At a ceremony at the Foment del Treball headquarters, Iacsi leaders said the sector needs to regain its economic and territorial value to attract young people. Association president Josep Maria Mateu argued that treating rural areas as the opposite of cities had been a mistake, and said the countryside could offer opportunities and remain a vibrant place to live and work.
Mateu also called for fewer obstacles to investment, saying environmental and economic sustainability goals need to be reconciled. He urged a review of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, arguing that it should not benefit interest groups that help keep prices low at the farm gate.
Baldiri Ros, the association’s honorary president, said the sector should aim not merely to survive but to innovate and compete. At the same event, Foment del Treball president Josep Sánchez Llibre called for less administrative red tape, greater legal certainty, more water availability and infrastructure that supports environmental sustainability.
Manuel Pimentel, an agricultural engineer and former minister of labour and social economy, highlighted the food sector’s role in Spain’s history. He said rising food prices can cause public discontent while also helping agriculture regain recognition that it has lost.
Sources: La Vanguardia.