TERRANOVA Operational Group: Boosting ecosystems that support generational renewal in agriculture

Outcome 1: The project will offer an interactive map and a practical database with all the entities and services that support the entry and succession of farmers. Farmers and new professionals will be able to find technical advice, public aid, financing, training, and key contacts in their area all in one place. Having this clear and centralized information makes it easier to better guide each decision and avoids missing opportunities due to a lack of awareness of available support. In practice, this tool saves time and management costs, avoids duplicate procedures, and reduces administrative errors. It facilitates comparing options, finding local specialized support, and better planning each step of the project. Professionals will be able to use it to prepare their business plan, access aid and financing sooner, and make decisions with less risk, improving the viability, profitability, and continuity of their farm. Furthermore, it strengthens coordination with local technicians and entities, avoiding unnecessary travel and accelerating the implementation of new projects.

Outcome 2: The project will develop a comprehensive, clear, and structured inventory of resources, tools, instruments, and experiences useful for facilitating the entry and succession of farmers. This compilation will bring together, in a single practical framework, options for accessing land and farms, models for transfer and collaboration between owners, public and private funding avenues, training programs, specialized advisory services, and solutions that have already proven effective in other regions. The information will be organized in a simple and action-oriented way, allowing for the rapid identification of available support, its purpose, and at what stage of the process it is most useful. In practice, this inventory helps farmers make better choices, avoid mistakes, and accelerate the implementation of new agricultural projects. Professionals will be able to use it as a guide to plan their farms with greater certainty and profitability.

Outcome 3: The project will significantly strengthen the training of agents and professionals who support agricultural entry and succession processes, improving the quality of support received by farmers and new entrants. To this end, specialized training programs, technical exchanges between regions, and updated working methodologies adapted to the current realities of the sector will be developed. The content will cover key areas such as business planning, access to aid and financing, agricultural taxation, mediation between transferors and incoming operators, comprehensive support in succession processes, and the practical use of digital tools. Communication, facilitation, and personalized guidance skills, essential in complex farm transfer processes, will also be incorporated. In practice, this translates into clearer, more agile, and more useful advice for those entering or transferring their farms. Professionals will be able to move forward with fewer errors, less uncertainty, and better financial planning.

Outcome 4: The project will launch three Pilot Territorial Ecosystems to Support Agricultural Succession. These ecosystems will establish stable and coordinated collaboration between public and private entities involved in the incorporation and transfer of farms. In each territory, working networks will be created among advisory services, government agencies, agricultural organizations, training centers, financial institutions, and socioeconomic stakeholders, fostering a connected support environment tailored to the local context. These ecosystems will serve as permanent coordination hubs where resources are aligned, solutions are shared, and comprehensive support is provided for each agricultural project. In practice, farmers and new professionals will benefit from readily available, better-organized, and more user-friendly support. This simplifies procedures, reduces processing times, and improves the viability of each business venture.

Outcome 5: The project will develop territorial digital incubators as virtual support spaces to promote new agricultural projects and facilitate generational succession processes. These platforms will integrate practical management tools, access to key information, technical resources, operational guides, and collaboration channels between professionals and entities in the region into a single environment. They will incorporate functionalities such as access to territorial data, advisory services, connection to support networks, and the use of digital tools that facilitate the planning and monitoring of agricultural initiatives. Their design will be geared towards simplifying processes and facilitating networking among all stakeholders. In practice, farmers and new entrants will be able to manage their projects with greater autonomy and fewer procedures. This reduces management costs and accelerates the launch of new agricultural activities.

Outcome 6: The project will transfer and adapt the agricultural succession support models validated in the pilot projects to new territories, facilitating their application in different rural contexts. Working methodologies, practical tools, coordination frameworks between entities, and organizational solutions that have already proven effective in the incorporation and succession of farms will be made available. This transfer will allow for the replication of comprehensive support structures without starting from scratch, leveraging previous learning and adjusting the model to the productive, social, and administrative characteristics of each territory. Furthermore, clear guidelines will be generated for its phased implementation, enabling each area to adopt the model according to its own pace and capabilities. In practice, professionals in new areas will be able to access effective and better-organized support sooner. This reduces implementation times and improves the planning and viability of their agricultural projects.

Outcome 7: The project will analyze and characterize in depth the expectations, needs, and barriers of landowners who plan to cease their agricultural activity, identifying their motivations, concerns, and conditions to facilitate the transfer of their farms. This work will allow for a better understanding of the factors influencing the decision to transfer ownership, the common difficulties in succession processes, and the most useful support in each situation. The information obtained will serve to design support measures better suited to the realities of those approaching retirement. Furthermore, it will help anticipate situations at risk of abandonment and promote viable solutions for continuity. In practice, those approaching retirement will have clearer guidance and better-defined options for transferring their farm. This facilitates succession planning in advance and protects the economic value of the business.

Outcome 8: The project will analyze and define in detail the real needs of people entering the agricultural sector, both through family succession processes and through external involvement. It will identify the support they use, the barriers they encounter, and the most useful resources at each stage of the process, from defining the business idea to starting up and consolidating the farm. This analysis will allow for a better understanding of the different profiles of new professionals, their entry pathways, and the critical moments when they require the most support. The information obtained will be used to adjust services, support programs, and tools to the real-world situations in the region. In practice, new farmers will be able to access more tailored support and avoid unnecessary steps. This reduces risks, improves financial planning, and facilitates more viable and profitable projects.

Outreach Outcome 1: The project will disseminate clear, practical, and easy-to-understand information about generational succession opportunities and the resources available to support the establishment and succession of agricultural holdings. Through informational materials, digital content, and on-the-ground outreach activities, farmers and professionals will be given a straightforward overview of existing support, the steps to follow, and the options available at each stage of the process. Communication will be tailored to different profiles and channels to ensure that the information reaches those who need it in a useful way. Furthermore, action-oriented messages that facilitate decision-making will be prioritized. In practice, more professionals will be aware of the available aid and services in a timely manner and will be able to use them more effectively. This prevents missed opportunities and reduces uncertainty in the establishment and succession processes.

Outcome 2: The project will foster communication and exchange between regions and professionals to share real-world experiences, best practices, and solutions that facilitate generational renewal in agriculture. Through workshops, technical meetings, exchange visits, and digital channels, practical case studies of farm establishment and succession, useful tools, and proven support models will be presented. These spaces will allow for comparing approaches, learning from real-world situations, and adapting solutions to different production and territorial contexts. Furthermore, they will encourage networking among professionals facing similar challenges. In practice, farmers and new professionals will be able to learn from successful experiences and apply proven solutions. This reduces errors, improves business decisions, and increases the viability of their agricultural projects.

Outcome 3: The project will provide professionals and organizations with practical reference materials that systematize working methods, useful tools, and clear guidelines to support generational renewal in agriculture. This content will be available in accessible and reusable formats, facilitating its consultation and direct application in the day-to-day work of farming and advisory services. In practice, farmers and new professionals will be able to use these guides and resources as direct support for planning their entry into or transfer of a farm, better understanding the steps of the process, and organizing their project with greater confidence. Having structured information reduces improvisation, saves management time, and avoids errors that generate additional costs. Professionals will be able to apply these guidelines to improve their business planning, optimize resources, and strengthen the viability, continuity, and profitability of their farms.