“We have to raise awareness among young people in primary schools, and welcome young children to farms and training centres to get them interested in these jobs,” said Benoit Lecaulle of the National Rural Family Homes Union.
“They also need more advanced training because they don’t come from that background.”
He added that while this may sound simple, tools need to be put in place to teach such youths the basics of farming.
France’s farming sector is the country’s second largest employer, but half of its farmers will reach retirement age by 2030.
The government wants to increase the number of people trained in agriculture by 30 per cent over the next decade.
French President Emmanuel Macron said this is not just an economic problem but also a matter of national security.
“We’re at a moment that is (an) extremely tense moment in geopolitics. Tomorrow, nothing prevents us from thinking that food could become a weapon,” Macron has said.
“And so, our responsibility is to produce on our land, which allows us to feed ourselves and our children,” he added.
FINANCING PROBLEMS, FEW BUYERS
The problems in France reflect those faced by agricultural producers across Europe.
Agriculture makes up just over 1 per cent of the EU’s total gross domestic product, but nearly a third of its entire budget is spent on agricultural subsidies.
The bloc’s agriculture commission recently announced new reforms that promise better conditions for farmers along with fairer supply chains.
