Enhancing the competitiveness of all types of agriculture and enhancing farm viability

The priority at a glance

Various forces pose threats to farm incomes, and therefore all farmers should aim to continue to become more competitive. In some cases restructuring is needed. Given that only six per cent of farm managers are aged below 35, more young people must be encouraged to bring their energy and ideas to the farm sector.

Areas of intervention (Focus areas):

  1. Facilitating restructuring of farms facing major structural challenges (notably farms with a low degree of market participation, or market-orientated farms active in particular sectors, or farms in need of agricultural diversification).
  2. Facilitating a balanced age structure in the agricultural sector.

Access relevant guidance documents and examples of RDP implementation by clicking on the below buttons.

Lessons learned 2007-2013

Links to relevant ENRD work providing a deeper understanding of how to support competitiveness with effective RDP programming and implementation.

  • Rural Review 5: Cultivating competitiveness of the EU farm, agri-food and forest sectors [PDF enfresdeitpl] focuses on supporting EU agriculture, forestry and agri-food industries, combining competitiveness and multi-functionality.
  • Local Food and Short Supply Chain – introductory page to the theme with relevant links to EU actions on promoting farm products, study and project examples.
  • Rural Review 12: Local food and short supply chains [PDF enfresdeitplhr] illustrates how RDPs are contributing to the promotion of local food production and short supply chains
  • Library on Rural Entrepreneurship providing materials and project examples on Short Supply Chains
  • EAFRD project brochure on Food [PDF enfrdeitespl] illustrates examples which demonstrate the range of positive benefits in Member States from food-related rural development activity under the CAP.
  • The youth and young farmers gateway offers relevant information and resources on the support offered to young farmers and young people in rural areas in the EU. In particular the ENRD “Youth thematic initiative” has been looking at ways to improve RDP support to youth-related projects.
  • The EAFRD projects brochure on young farmers and younger people in rural Europe [PDF en] provides a selection of project examples showing how the EAFRD can help to provide development opportunities for young farmers and younger people in rural Europe.