Farming across Europe is changing. Climate change, water scarcity, rising land costs and difficulties with farm succession are putting pressure on farmers. At the same time, fewer young people are entering the sector: in 2020, only 6.5% of EU farm managers were under 35.

But the future of farming is not only about economic and environmental pressures. It is also about people — why they choose farming, what makes them stay, and what might lead them to leave.

The EU-funded HARVEST project explores what makes farming attractive and how agricultural systems can become more viable, inclusive and resilient. It brings together farmers, researchers, policymakers, civil society and creative practitioners across five European Hubs in Spain, the UK, France, Germany and Greece.

Exploring new paths for farming

HARVEST looks at farmers experiences and perceptions, as well as the wider conditions that shape their choices. The project explores access to  land and housing, the inclusion of newcomers and migrants, training and advisory systems, and alternative business models such as cooperatives, farm incubators and multifunctional farms.

Research meets creativity

The project uses storytelling, narrative theatre and exhibitions to give farmers and rural communities space to share their experiences, perspective and visions for the future.

The creative work is combined with fieldwork, policy analysis, media discourse analysis, participatory foresight and agro-economic modelling.

From local experience to European policy

The five regional Hubs connect the project to farming realities on the ground. They include ARCA and its Catalan network of farm incubators, Gloucestershire Country Council, RENETA, Kulturland eG and the Municipality of Polygyros.

HARVEST's findings will contribute to discussions on the future of European agriculture, including the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). 

Ecologic Institute's role

Ecologic Institute leads Work Package 8 on Policy Engagement and the Science-Policy Interface. 
This WP is comprised of four tasks: 

• mapping how policy and governance shape farming's attractiveness across the EU and Hub regions (Task 8.1)
• creating an AI-augmented research platform for policy intelligence (lead by our partners DDS)
• synthesising evidence from across the project into co-created policy and governance options (Task 8.3)
• translating regional pathways into EU-level recommendations through participatory workshops, two policy briefs and a High-Level Policy Dialogue in Brussels (Task 8.4). 

Moreover, Ecologic Institute is strongly involved in multiple work packages across the project and supports with a diverse set of expertise and methods. 
For instance, EI is leading task 2.4, the participatory knowledge capture and ground-truthing work, comprising of 50–60 in-depth interviews with farmers, workers and young people across the Hubs. 
In a series of Regional Policy Lab dinners (task 4.7) we will bring together local policymakers, farmers, scientists and civil society to discuss the future of European farming with decision-makers over a plate of delicious regional food. 
This will feed directly into Ecologic Institutes task 6.4, the development of transition pathways and governance success stories shared with stakeholders through interregional workshops. 
Finally, Ecologic Institute is supporting WP 5 on the education and training of future farmers through the evaluation of training and mentoring pilots across the five Hubs (task 5.4).