The Basque Government and Territorial Councils activate a Comprehensive Generational Change Strategy for the agricultural sector, with a budget of more than 25 million euros

• The Basque Government and Territorial Councils generational change strategy will incorporate 1,250 young people into the agricultural sector over the next 10 years.
• Young people succeeding rural families and those joining from the urban world.
• Actions will be carried out on 1,500 farms with owners, pre-retirees, or retirees, 750 of them without a replacement.
• The LEADER strategy will adopt new rejuvenation strategies.
• A guide introduces young people to the sector, and a brochure details the initiative for notaries.

 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country 2025 04 04

This morning, the Basque Government and the Territorial Councils of Araba, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa presented the new Comprehensive Generational Change Strategy for the Basque Agricultural Sector. An "ambitious and transformative" initiative aimed at ensuring the continuity of a key sector for the sustainability of rural areas by incorporating a greater number of young people and achieving territorial balance. The strategy is being launched with a joint budget of €25 million for the next three years and a ten-year time horizon, during which it is expected to incorporate 1,250 young people into the sector.

The plan focuses on 1,500 economically profitable farms whose owners are retired or close to retirement. Of these, it is estimated that around 750 lack an identified successor, which puts their continuity at risk in the short and medium term. These farms constitute the priority focus of action.

Roadmap

The strategy is structured around eight key areas of intervention and 22 specific measures that address the various factors that impact generational renewal, from administrative and financial barriers to the lack of social recognition of the primary sector.

According to Mrs Amaia Barredo, Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture, and Fisheries of the Basque Government, "among the five most notable actions are: the launch of two awareness-raising campaigns to highlight the strategic value of the primary sector in the Basque economy and attract new agricultural vocations; the creation, by the Territorial Councils, of farm intermediation offices, which will act as meeting points between those who have left the farm without a replacement and young people interested in joining; and the review and strengthening of the Gaztenek program, improving its effectiveness in establishing new farmers."

Likewise, the activation of new lines of aid is planned to support temporary agricultural test areas and to encourage generational renewal on agricultural holdings. In both cases, the aid will be granted to those who have left the farms, that is, those who are close to retirement or already retired. and the strengthening of the SENDOTU financial instrument, which will guarantee loans to young people in their first years of activity, with a planned allocation of 9,75 million euros.

Mrs Noemi Agirre, territorial deputy for Araba, believes that "this is a strategy that addresses a problem that requires the shared effort of all Basque administrations. All of this, with a clear objective: to keep our farms alive, revitalize the rural environment, and offer real opportunities to a new generation of farmers."

According to Mrs Arantza Atutxa, territorial deputy for Bizkaia, "we offer effective tools, technical and financial support, as well as ongoing guidance to ensure the agricultural sector remains an attractive future option for new generations. Generational renewal is a priority, and today we are taking another step in that direction."

Mr. Xabier Arruti, regional deputy for Green Territorial Equilibrium in Gipuzkoa, is confident that "the efforts being made at the institutional level to guarantee generational renewal, as well as the various initiatives deployed at the regional level, will serve to encourage and support young people to enter the primary sector."

According to Arruti, “ensuring the continuity of the primary sector is key to the well-being of citizens, not only in terms of quality local production and food sustainability, but also because the farmers are fundamental to caring for the rural environment and natural spaces.” The Gipuzkoa Territorial Representative concluded that “if we want to preserve the green territorial balance of our territory, it´s essential to continue promoting and driving these types of initiatives through public policy.”

Next steps

The Generational Change Strategy has begun its rollout, and in the coming months, key actions will be implemented, such as: the modification of the Statute of Young Female Farmers (EPJA) and the development of a specific aid order for temporary agricultural tests and to incentivize generational change; the launch of the first phase of the awareness-raising campaign between May and June; and the coordination and implementation of intermediation offices, as well as the identification and elimination of farms without a replacement.

Other initiatives include the modification of the PEPAC form regarding settlement assistance (Gaztenek program); the review of curricular profiles in formal training (secondary and higher) in coordination with the Basque Department of Education; and the integration of the rejuvenation approach into the LEADER Strategy.

In addition, the development of a guide to introduce young people to the sector is planned, along with the publication of an information brochure that will also be available in Basque notary offices; and the commissioning of a study on the social and territorial cost of non-agriculture.

A rural environment alive and with a future

With this strategy, the Basque Government and the Territorial Councils reaffirm their commitment to a sustainable, inclusive, and intergenerational rural development model. "Ensuring generational renewal is not only a necessity for the sector, but also a national commitment to food security, territorial balance, and the maintenance of our natural and cultural heritage," they agreed.

"The primary sector is a fundamental pillar, and institutional strategy is a key tool to ensure its continuity and dynamism in the next decade. Actions similar to the one we are implementing here will be initiated in much of the European Union," concluded Minister Amaia Barredo.

Le Gouvernement basque et les Députations forales ont lancé une Stratégie intégrale de changement générationnel pour le secteur agricole, dotée d'un budget de plus de 25 millions d'euros.

• La stratégie de renouvellement générationnel du Gouvernement basque et des Conseils provinciaux intégrera 1 250 jeunes dans le secteur primaire au cours des 10 prochaines années.
• Filles et garçons successeurs de familles rurales et incorporés du monde urbain
• Interventions dans 1.500 exploitations agricoles auprès de propriétaires, préretraités ou retraités, dont 750 sans remplacement
• La stratégie LEADER adoptera de nouvelles clés de rajeunissement
• Un guide rapproche les jeunes du secteur et une brochure détaille l'initiative à destination des notaires.

Arkaute, Vitoria-Gasteiz, 04/04/2025

Ce matin, le Gouvernement Basque et les Gouvernements  d'Araba, de Bizkaia et de Gipuzkoa ont présenté la nouvelle Stratégie Intégrale de Changement Générationnel pour le Secteur Agricole Basque, une initiative « ambitieuse et transformatrice » visant à assurer la continuité d'un secteur clé pour la durabilité des zones rurales en intégrant un plus grand nombre de jeunes et en atteignant l'équilibre régional. La stratégie repose sur un budget commun de 25 millions d'euros pour les trois prochaines années et un horizon temporel de dix ans, au cours duquel il est prévu de recruter 1 250 jeunes dans le secteur.

Le plan se concentre sur 1 500 exploitations agricoles rentables dont les propriétaires sont à la retraite ou proches de la retraite. Parmi eux, on estime qu’environ 750 n’ont pas de remplaçant identifié, ce qui met en péril leur continuité à court et moyen terme. Ces exploitations constituent le noyau d’action prioritaire.

La stratégie s’articule autour de huit axes d’intervention clés et de 22 mesures spécifiques qui s’attaquent aux différents facteurs qui influencent le changement générationnel, depuis les barrières administratives et financières jusqu’au manque de reconnaissance sociale du secteur primaire.

Selon Amaia Barredo, ministre régionale de l'Alimentation, du Développement rural, de l'Agriculture et de la Pêche du Gouvernement basque, « les cinq actions les plus notables comprennent : le lancement de deux campagnes de sensibilisation pour mettre en évidence la valeur stratégique du secteur primaire dans l'économie basque et attirer de nouvelles vocations agricoles ; la création, par les Conseils provinciaux, de bureaux d'intermédiation agricole, qui serviront de points de rencontre entre les non-résidents et les jeunes intéressés à s'y joindre ; et la révision et le renforcement du programme Gaztenek, améliorant son efficacité dans la localisation de nouveaux agriculteurs. »