HARVEST 

Farming is at a crossroads across Europe. Water scarcity, climate change, limited access to land and housing, rising production costs and the growing concentration of farms are putting farmers under increasing pressure, while the number of young farmers remains low: in 2020 only 6.5% of EU farmers were under 35. At the same time, farming is often perceived as unattractive, remote and marginal, especially by younger generations and urban populations, putting generational renewal and the transition to more sustainable practices at risk. In response, HARVEST investigates both the real and the perceived challenges of European agriculture, exploring why people choose to enter, or leave, farming and how social narratives and material conditions shape these choices.

Placing farmers and their lived experiences at the centre, the project brings together researchers, artists, farmers, youth, creative communicators and policymakers, combining fieldwork, media and social media discourse analysis, creative co-creation (StoryLabs, narrative theatre, exhibitions and an ethnographic film), participatory foresight and economic modelling. Its activities are implemented in five Hubs in Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Greece, where farmer-positive business models, such as farm incubators and cooperatives, as well as innovative training and mentoring approaches, will be studied, piloted and documented as good practices. The ultimate goal of HARVEST is to change how people see and value farming, recasting it as a vibrant, innovative and sustainable cornerstone of European society and culture, and as a rewarding career that younger generations want to pursue. To this end, the project will deliver evidence-based policy recommendations for the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and a ready-to-use “Campaign-in-a-Box” to help farming organizations, policymakers and local communities across Europe shift public narratives about farming.