Solidarité Paysans reports rising hardships in French agriculture

The association Solidarité Paysans has released its first ‘Observatoire des difficultés en agriculture’, based on an analysis of 3,639 individual cases from 2025. The report describes a deeply fractured agricultural sector characterized by significant inequalities and increasing precariousness.

Key drivers of hardship include economic conditions (16.92%), investment and financing issues (15.05%), family problems (11.63%), and administrative management (11.55%). The report notes that nearly 18% of farmers live below the monetary poverty threshold, according to Insee data. The typical profile of those seeking help is a man, averaging 51.4 years old, managing a relatively small farm with a median surface area of 48.4 hectares.

Women in agriculture are disproportionately affected by certain issues. Representing 28.7% of those assisted, women are twice as likely as men to face family-related difficulties (13.7%) and more frequently encounter challenges regarding the legal structure of their farms. These issues are particularly prevalent in regions such as Occitanie, Grand Est, and Centre-Val de Loire.