Linking sustainable practices throughout Europe
Rural youth and young farmers workshop - Oct.2015 (NL)
As the starting point of a series of workshops Forum Synergies organised together with the Future Farmers Movement a workshop in Dronten, NL.
Forty one young people from 23 European Countries (including EU member states and neighbouring countries ) participated in the event which was held in the Warmonderhof School Farm, situated in Dronten, Holland.
Participants took the chance to go out and experience realities of youth in rural Holland, exchange with the local young entrepreneurs, local young farmers and community farms on the issues of organic production, cooperation, education and networking.
Topics for the future. Inspired by the visits the partici-pants developed five working groups working on:
- European future farmers movement, integrating all young farmers initiatives around Europe;
- European seeds initiative and future Forum Synergies SEED gathering in Portugal focused on seeds policies and their development, practices for preservation of seeds, policies of the seed traders and farmers and sharing of local initiatives and practices with seeds.
- Improving approach to rural development in Europe – with specifics to Eastern European coun-tries and its neighbours, by identifying the problems of youth in rural areas to return including education and business start -up problems to development of hubs and decentralised local support to young people who like to live and work in rural areas;
- Networking actions on Land concession, includ-ing promotion and exchange of various practices, legal frameworks and taxation issues related to land concession around Europe;
- New ways, methodologies and concepts for establishment of individual and community farms which will serve communities. The working group have developed some details on working methods, residences within the farms, decision making structures, market outreach etc.
Documents related to the Youth Workshop
- Gathering information and programme
- RYYF Report
- RYYF Summary report
- Rural Youth and Young Farmers gathering video