Succession in agriculture is a key issue that is hindering young Italian farmers

Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026

Il Sole 24 Ore

High land costs hinder young farmers’ entry into Italian agriculture, despite growing interest and innovation.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

High land costs and limited access to land remain the main obstacles for starting new farms under 40 in Italy, despite national incentives and EU support. Interest in agriculture is growing, with young farmers increasingly embracing innovation and multifunctionality like agritourism. Italian youth-led farms show higher productivity than the European average, investing heavily in modern agricultural technologies. While the EU averages only 12% of farm owners being under 40, countries like Poland have a much higher proportion, supported by land availability and integration of tradition with technology. Some French regions and Austria also serve as models for successful land access policies and sustainable farming practices.

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