Boosting the attractiveness of agriculture and the connection between the farming community and society

– Enhanced assessment and communication of agriculture as an economic activity and profession to boost sector attractiveness for new entrants and young farmers, and strengthen farming community–society connections. – Improved evidence-based knowledge on socio-economic and related factors influencing farming attractiveness, disseminated to local, national and EU policymakers, business operators and relevant actors. – Deployment and uptake of new strategies, solutions and practices by farmers, businesses, policymakers, contracting authorities and civil society to enhance the farming sector’s attractiveness. – Provision of analytical capacity and governance model recommendations to support CAP post-2027 policy development and implementation, promoting generational renewal, fair jobs and social inclusion in farming systems.

– Improve understanding of socio-economic and other factors (income, labour conditions, land markets, mental health, gender inequalities, generational renewal, sustainable practices, etc.) influencing attractiveness of farming and farmers’ self-projection. – Examine drivers of entry into and exit from farming across diverse European regions, using storytelling and narrative analysis. – Analyse how farmers interact within their community and with wider society, accounting for historical, sectorial, territorial, farm-size, age, education, gender and other variables. – Assess perceptions and communications about farming among societal actors (influencers of norms and values) and economic actors (producers, consumers, businesses) across multiple perspectives. – Map agricultural education and training programmes Europe-wide and recommend evidence-based design improvements to attract diverse entrants. – Mobilise Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) to co-develop and test communication interventions that improve societal perception of farming. – Identify, evaluate and propose new solutions, good practices and initiatives to boost sector attractiveness and the farmer–society connection, and disseminate them to policymakers, farmers, businesses and regional authorities. – Integrate Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines (e.g., sociology, geography, demography, communication, behavioural science, anthropology, education) alongside digital media, traditional media, arts and cultural approaches. – Apply participatory foresight and multi-actor methods throughout project design and implementation.