Spain: The inclusion of women and youth in the agricultural sector

Women and young people are essential to a sustainable transition, but current policies only partially recognise their role and needs. To keep farming viable, innovative and sustainable, Europe must invest not only in land and capital, but in people, communities and inclusive governance.

By aligning their complementary strengths  and sharing concrete examples, Spain and the Netherlands can help steer EU policy towards more tailored, inclusive and socially grounded approaches to generational transition.

1. The “softer side” of generational renewal. Physical vs. Social infrastructure

The study confirms economic constraints are not the only reason why young farmers are choosing different paths. The study identified non-economic barriers that also play a dominant role in generational renewal. 

Main barriers young farmers face are  high land prices, expensive machinery, low margins and volatile markets. Therefore it is hard to start or take over a farm without (family) assets. Access to finance remains a major bottleneck, especially for newcomers.

Governments aim to tackle this issue by building new schools, health centers, or additional roads. However the study shows this is not the only need factor. Generational renewal is as much about social infrastructure as physical infrastructure.

Social and emotional factors are equally important: feeling part of a community, having peers to learn from, and support in navigating the family dynamics of succession are key to incentive the decision on taking a rural life. In Spain, la España vaciada, the “emptied Spain”,  illustrates the problem. Rural depopulation means fewer services, fewer opportunities for partners and children, and a sense of isolation. In such a context, even generous subsidies may not convince young people to stay or return.

In the Netherlands, depopulation is less acute, but other pressures play a similar role: tight housing markets, public debates on nitrogen and climate, and uncertainty about long‑term prospects. Here too, the question is not only whether a farm is financially viable, but whether a rural life feels attractive and future‑proof.

What works according to farmers?

The initiatives that farmers in Spain value most are strikingly “soft” in nature:

• Networking and community‑building events that reduce isolation and create a sense of shared purpose and a way to find solutions to common realities.
• Social initiatives such as fun activities, online platforms, village projects that make rural life more vibrant and broaden the sense of belonging.
• Coaching and advisory services that go beyond technical advice and address business strategy, leadership and the emotional side of succession.

The Dutch experience mirrors this. A knowledge platform of farm succession, coordinated by government and sector organisations, helps families talk earlier and more openly about who will take over, when and how. This kind of support is often missing from formal policy, but crucial in practice.

2. Women and youth: from “target groups” to central actors

The second major outcome is that young people and women are not just beneficiaries of policy, but they are key drivers of the agricultural transition. The study shows that young farmers and new entrants tend to bring innovation, native digital skills and a stronger focus on sustainability and regenerative practices.

Women often act as the paradigm-shifting accelerators in rural communities, connecting people, initiating diversification and disruptive innovation, and providing continuity in projects and organisations. Yet, across Europe, their potential is not fully understood. Beyond the general economic and rural challenges, the study highlights specific obstacles, none of higher importance over the other, but that contribute to the complexity of the problem.

• Knowledge and skills gaps. Farmers are technically skilled , but they identify gaps in doing business, in leadership and in implementing legal frameworks and administrative procedures.
• Institutional distance. Rules for land transfer are still complex, tax and support schemes, combined with a sense that policies are designed top‑down and do not reflect everyday realities. Farmers feel information is missing.
• Cultural norms and gender roles. Persistent stereotypes about who is a “real farmer”, and expectations that women assume most caregiving and household work. Many women are active on farms, but remain invisible in statistics and decision‑making.

Spain and the Netherlands approach this differently. Dutch policies focus more on youth as a category. Spain has gone further in recognizing women as a distinct policy group with a dedicated rural women’s unit in the Ministry of Agriculture. Even more, women’s organisations in Spain, such as FADEMUR and AMCAE, play a visible role in training, advocacy and representation. Their work shows that when women are given space, they not only strengthen their own position, but also contribute to more resilient rural communities.

3. A European challenge where Spain and NL can become allies

Generational renewal is already addressed in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). There are income supports, installation aids and investment grants for young farmers. But the study finds farmers do not feel existing mechanisms serve them properly well. For the next CAP cycle and beyond, this opens up a strategic conversation at EU level:

• How can policies better reflect the diversity of rural realities across Europe? Outcomes show current policies focus is mainly on financial incentives and physical investments, not on social cohesion, community building and the image of farming.
• How can we move from standardised schemes to more tailored, region‑specific approaches? The study suggested instruments are often one‑size‑fits‑all, while rural realities differ widely between and within member states.
• How can inclusion of youth, women and new agents become a core lens in designing support, rather than an afterthought? During interviews  it was clear young people and women are consulted more than before, but still not always taken into account where decisions are made.

What does it mean for Spain and NL?

Spain and the Netherlands already bring complementary strengths: For example, Spain’s Programa Cultiva combines mentoring and community building for young farmers, whilst the Dutch land‑succession matchmaking initiatives directly tackle the land access problem by linking landless young farmers with older farmers without successors. These experiences offer concrete examples that can feed into joint advocacy in Brussels  to push for a more inclusive, socially aware and flexible European framework for generational transition.

For the Dutch agricultural network interested in Spain, generational renewal is not an abstract debate. It will determine who our partners, suppliers and clients will be in 10–20 years’ time  and whether the transition to sustainable, resilient agrifood systems can actually be delivered on the ground with the coming players. The full report of the study is available through the following link: REPORT