Strengthening access to services to foster generational renewal in rural areas

The EU strategy for generational renewal in agriculture aims to make farming a viable choice for young people by addressing the lack of reliable services in rural areas.  

The strategy supports social, digital and infrastructural measures, such as improved access to essential services, digital infrastructure and smart village initiatives, inclusive governance, synergies between the common agricultural policy and cohesion policy, and diversification and local value chains. It aligns agricultural renewal with the EU’s rural vision and Rural Pact, ensuring that farming both supports and benefits from rural revitalisation. 

Unequal access to infrastructure and essential services – from healthcare and childcare to transport, housing and digital connectivity – is driving younger generations to leave rural areas, worsening rural depopulation across Europe. Addressing these challenges supports farming and an improved quality of life for rural territories.   

Discover a range of national and regional generational renewal initiatives in the EU CAP Network’s Assessment of Generational Renewal Strategies across Member States. Effective actions include integrated rural service hubs, digital innovation and smart village initiatives, rural housing and mobility schemes, and community-based projects.  

Read more about the ‘right to stay’ and young people’s views on the future of im/mobility in rural areas in the dedicated policy brief by the European Rural Youth Observatory. 

Explore the latest Rural Pact resources on the topics of agriculture and food and youth, and join the Community Groups on youth in rural areas and rural depopulation and repopulation.