Thematic Group on Youth, Young Farmers and Generational Renewal in Rural Areas (GTM) was established by the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów on 12th March 2026.

The objective of this thematic group is to strengthen the active involvement of the younger generation in the development of agriculture and rural areas and to support effective generational renewal processes in rural areas, in particular through knowledge exchange and by facilitating cooperation between Polish Rural Network+ (PRN+) partners and other stakeholders, including public administration.

Tasks of the thematic group:

• providing advisory input during consultations and discussions on legislative documents concerning the situation of young people living and working in rural areas, formal and non-formal education, young farmers and generational renewal;
• identifying, gathering and articulating the perspectives, needs and expectations of rural youth and young farmers in the context of the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 and PRN+ measures;
• analysing the functioning and effectiveness of the support instruments provided for in the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 with regard to young farmers, as well as formulating conclusions and proposals for improvements of an advisory nature concerning their implementation, in particular with regard to accessibility, coherence and effectiveness;
• monitoring the challenges, barriers and trends in relation to young people’s participation in the development of agriculture and rural areas;
• identifying and disseminating good practices and experiences linked to activities carried out by young people in rural areas and initiatives supporting generational renewal processes;
• developing recommendations to support decision-making by rural youth and young farmers regarding their professional and social development and engagement in rural areas;
• acting as a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and cooperation between rural youth, young farmers, public institutions and other bodies involved in the implementation of the Strategic Plan and PRN+ measures;
• monitoring and supporting the access and participation of Polish youth and young farmers in European projects, initiatives and programmes related to the CAP Strategic Plan, including activities of the EU CAP Network, in cooperation with European youth organisations and national networks of Member States as well as identifying related needs and barriers;
• formulating recommendations for the institutions responsible for implementing the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 on issues covered by the GTM’s work;
• supporting educational, information and pilot initiatives aimed at rural youth and young farmers, as well as those promoting generational renewal in rural areas;
• monitoring the content and information published in the ‘Youth’ section on the PRN+ website (www.ksowplus.pl), including suggesting updates or revisions.

The group consisted of representatives of public authorities and bodies, research and educational institutions, rural development and agricultural organisations, as well as youth and civil society organisations. The members included representatives of:

1. public authorities and public bodies, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, other relevant ministries, the PRN+, agricultural advisory services and public agencies supporting the implementation of agricultural and rural development policies;
2. research and educational institutions, including research institutes, agricultural universities, agricultural schools and organisations supporting education and knowledge transfer;
3. rural development and agricultural organisations, especially youth and civil society organisations, including youth organisations, Local Action Groups, non-governmental organisations, community organisations and other stakeholders representing rural communities, but also representatives of independent young farmers.