CEJA requests 10% of CAP resources for young farmers

The European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) is calling for at least 10% of the resources from the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to be directed toward the renewal of the rural population. This request was made during an informal meeting of agriculture and demographic ministers from the MED9 countries.

While the European Commission has proposed allocating at least 6% of national CAP plans to generational renewal, CEJA argues that a higher percentage is necessary to provide the stable and predictable conditions required for young farmers to make long-term investments. CEJA Vice President Matteo Pagliarani stated that young farmers are not seeking preferential treatment, but rather the predictability needed for deep investment.

The organization emphasizes that rural renewal is critical not only for agriculture but also for food security, the future of the European countryside, and economic resilience, particularly in Mediterranean countries facing aging populations and climate change impacts.