Down to Earth's 2nd Thematic Conference

BSC Kranj - Regional Development Agency of Gorenjska, organised the second Down to Earth Thematic Conference in Slovenia, to discuss the Theme of Year 2: Access Barriers to Young Farmers in Depopulated Areas.

On the topic of "the Interdependency between Climate Change, Agriculture, and Rural Development, with a Focus on the Youth", the event took place at the Naklo Biotechnical Centre, in the Slovenian region of Gorenjska, on the morning of February 4th 2025.

Conference's Agenda

The hybrid event addressed the following key topics:

• The future of agricultural policies
• Climate adaptation strategies for farmers
• Legal instruments and initiatives to promote the incorporation of young entrepreneurs in agriculture
• Generational renewal in rural areas
• Land management strategies for rural development
• Best practice examples from regional projects

Representatives of the National Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the National Chamber for Agriculture and Forestry focused on agricultural policies that promote the engagement of young farmers in agriculture, which is particularly relevant in Slovenia, where less than 5% of them are aged under 35. Regional initiatives include subsidy programmes that facilitate access to finance, the Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer Programme, a strong educational structure, and advisory networks.

Academics from the University of Ljubljana, Prof. Dr. Irma Potočnik (from the Department of Geography) and Prof. Dr. Luka Juvančič (from the Biotechnical Faculty) presented the results of their studies on agriculture and climate change, focusing on the adaptation strategies farmers adopt in the face of increasingly frequent droughts and high temperatures, which impact soils and crops.

Moreover, the Conference counted with the presence of Mr. Martin Žbogar, vice president of the Slovenian Association of Rural Youth, who gave a presentation on the organization's key initiatives to help young people overcome the sector's most pressing challenges.

Down to Earth's second Thematic Conference was also the occasion for Down to Earth partners to present the main results from the second Joint Thematic Report, focused on the topic of Access Barriers to Young Farmers in Depopulated Areas. Ms. Tania Gesto Casás and Dr. Konstantinos Antonopoulos summarised the work carried out by project partners throughout Year 2, and introduced attendees to the main identified barriers and enablers faced by young farmers in both entering and remaining in the agricultural sector.

Furthermore, the presentation outlined a set of key recommendations for policy improvements on the topic, including: facilitating access to land, promoting financial support programmes, strengthening the role of local authorities, improving rural infrastructure, developing tailored training and advisory programmes, ensuring gender equality and social inclusion in the sector, promoting urban-rural relations, supporting innovation, agro-technologies and the adoption of circular farming models, and ensuring coordination across government levels.

Down to Earth partners also presented identified Good Practices from their regions: inspiring, replicable and innovative cases that successfully address rural development issues.

The conference served as a platform to collectively exchange on the main challenges faced by young farmers and the tools and strategies necessary to overcome them. The presence of experts from diverse areas and with different backgrounds made for a plural dialogue and reinforced the need for collaborative efforts at both multiple levels and sectors.