Planting the future – Young people changing the plant world

In 5 to 10 years, half of all French farms will be up for succession. This poses a massive challenge for specialized crop Sectors —and an opportunity for a new generation approaching agriculture with different expectations, tools, and values.

In this episode, Gwenaëlle Leborgne of GAB Anjou describes the wide variety of profiles among those moving to rural areas today: heirs, urbanites seeking a new career path, new rural residents… and an increasing number of women (50% of the project leaders who come to GAB Anjou for assistance). She discusses the administrative “maze” of setting up a business and the tools put in place to support this process.

Basile Gaulier, co-founder of Romanesco, presents the electric vegetable-growing ride-on machine designed by his startup: a machine designed to reduce physical strain, improve working conditions, and make vegetable farming more attractive. With a return on investment in three years and farmers highlighting the machine in their job postings, this practical innovation truly comes into its own.

Alexandre Burlet, an engineer at CTIFL, rounds out the picture with his research on the viability of micro-farms (less than one hectare): how can we help farmers produce high-quality crops, reduce the physical strain of their work, and earn a decent income? It’s a human, down-to-earth story full of hope for the Sectors .