Agricultural dynamism and the influence of territorial characteristics in attracting young farmers
研究了西班牙地中海弧地区542个市镇的农业活力与吸引35岁以下农民的关系，发现需调整补贴和合作社结构以促进代际更新。
The situation facing the primary sector is complicated: young people are seeking quality of life by migrating to more prestigious and profitable economic activities. This ongoing exodus is translating into a progressive ageing of the agricultural population that is difficult to stop. The aim of this research is to analyse the link between items associated with the dynamism of agriculture and the sector's ability to attract farmers under 35, in order to provide crucial information to decision-makers and bolster the success of the implemented policies. A non-convex metafrontier is applied to a sample of 542 municipalities located in the Spanish Mediterranean arc, a region where agriculture must coexist with activities such as tourism, which is experiencing exponential growth. The methodology used enables an assessment of the impact of specific territorial characteristics of the municipalities on the behaviour of this group of farmers, distinguishing between rural, urban and intermediate areas, and differentiating by their proximity (or not) to the coast. The results show the need to remodel the factors that enhance agricultural dynamism in order to increase the proportion of young farmers. A significant structural gap is detected in all the analysed territories, and particularly in urban areas in the non-coastal zone. Greater changes are needed to optimise the agricultural labour market in intermediate areas; specifically, these changes involve facilitating access to markets, ensuring better integration of cooperatives and restructuring Common Agricultural Policy subsidies aimed at guaranteeing generational renewal. In short, a shift is needed in the current regimes, such that subsidies are targeted at improving the agribusiness network to provide better service to farms. • Agricultural dynamism is key to attracting and retaining young farmers. • Consolidation of cooperatives could improve efficiency in rural agribusiness. • Policy adjustments must prioritise innovation and sustainability in farming. • Limited market access weakens young farmers' competitiveness. • Farm succession challenges delay generational renewal in agriculture.