Youth proposals to accelerate generational turnover in the farming sector

In the hands of young farmers lays the future of the world food production. That’s why it’s crucial that consistent policy measures are put in place by governments in all regions, to facilitate generational renewal. This means that access to land, resources, credit, and livelihoods in general should be enhanced to include more young people in agriculture, fisheries, and other sectors. Youth should also be consulted, and must contribute in the develpment of policies affecting their own future. That’s why a group of representative of the main global farmers’ organizations, got together to create a toolkit that can be used as a guide to promote generational turnover in different contexts. The dialogue was organized by FAO in the frameworkg of the UN decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) in 2024, and the results have been published ahead of the UNDFF Mid Term Forum, on October 16.

Open the toolkit

This toolkit is the outcome of a collective work. Please use it, and share it worldwide!

About the toolkit

The primary goal of this toolkit is to support young family farmers by providing them with the necessary knowledge, resources, and guidance to overcome pressing challenges and enable generational turnover in family farming.

Today, food systems face unprecedented challenges and opportunities, especially for the younger generation of farmers who are the ones most impacted by the future of the sector.  This toolkit is specifically designed to address the needs of young family farmers from around the world, coming from diverse agricultural backgrounds,  and to help them access both policy influence and technical skills. By focusing on their specific contexts and priorities, we aim to empower young family farmers to thrive in an evolving farming landscape increasingly shaped by change.

In creating this toolkit, we considered the diverse environments in which young farmers operate across various geographical regions. This was done through a consultative methodology that involved a core group of young farmers from the different networks that form the United Nations Decade on Family Farming (UNDFF) Steering Committee, namely the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC), the Word Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), La Via Campesina (LVC), and the World Rural Forum (WRF). This participatory approach ensures that the toolkit is relevant and practical, offering solutions that young family farmers can apply in their day-to-day activities. Whether navigating the complexities of agro-food policies or sharing effective farming techniques, this toolkit serves as a valuable resource for young farmers to elevate their skills and promote greater impact at different levels, from local to global, and across various spheres, including family, community, farmers’ organizations, and policy-making.