However, the Croatian representatives and representatives were able to take interest in their products presented many MEPs and MPs, who attended the Congress of Young Farmers.However, it is important that our young people promoted the interest of young farmers, as a profession, without which there is no future, putting it in correlation with contemporary occupations programmers and virtual worlds programs, which are becoming increasingly common in the agricultural sector. But for innovative, ecological and conventional farming producing young people need start-up capital or grant financial surface. Although the European Union has earmarked for Croatian agriculture three billion euros, money waiting to consolidate different in Croatia political opinions on the management of agricultural wealth.
Unfortunately in the process of consolidating is no place for young farmers. This shows the current status about the transition to the European Structural Funds. The Croatian state administration has delayed the preparation of the Rural Development Programme, which is the basis of getting money from the European Fund for Rural Development (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development-EAFRD). That deadline was extended to start using money from this fund for more than six months. The support from the EAFRD includes grant money to support young farmers and farmers who own at an unspecified amount of properties, fields or forests.
The money should be used to overcome the unique challenges faced by young people when they step into the agricultural sector, to stay motivated to live and work in the countryside, creating for themselves and their families, new work places.Of course, it all makes so much desired sustainable development and an overall increase of social and economic vitality of rural areas.
EU finances a variety of other activities as a support to young people in rural areas. These activities include training, networking services and better global circulation of information. One of the activities of the network CEJA - European Council of Young Farmers, which represents the voice of a million young Europeans - a new generation of farmers in the European Union. The main goal of CEJA is the "rejuvenation" and the introduction of innovations in the agricultural sector across the EU. It involves the creation of good working and living conditions for young people who are just starting but also for those who already have the status of young farmers.
CEJA has an important mediating role in the functioning of the sector of agriculture, had a major role in the creation of a new European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Considering that observed global trend of aging in European agricultural sector (52% of farmers over 55 years and less than 7% under 35 years) must urgently undertake national measures to improve the conditions of youth involvement in the sector of European agriculture.
The current measure, which seeks to implement CEJA is a proposal that allocates 2% of the role of a member who is available to EU awarded to young farmers (15-40 years old) for their needs over the next five years. CEJA is making efforts to get this measure of the Council of the EU and accept to be mandatory for all EU member states. Some Member States have already implemented this measure, because it still works on the individual amount of 70,000 euros annually. Slovenians separated in favor of young farmers and farmers 22,000 per year. France has three percent of young farmers (under 40 years) and their number, as well as in the EU, falling, why being introduced measures to keep young people in agriculture. The EU has several ways of financing to help young farmers, of which, for example, in France the grant (Fund) for young farmers can get 8000-35000 EUR per farm.
The funds are non-refundable, half of the amount provided by a member state, and half of the EU. Farm receives grant for five years under strict supervision. The success of these measures is very high, 95%, and the standard is to ensure that the average salary after five years of project implementation. There are other ways to encourage young farmers, such as soft loans, with interest rate of 1 to 2.5 percent.
In Croatia, the idea of financial support to young people in agriculture is only in its infancy. In addition, some of the young farmers complain that the awareness of funding opportunities is very weak, because neither the Paying Agency for Agriculture and the relevant ministry does not publish the EU actuality related to financial aid for young farmers.
The Paying Agency for Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture says that "under certain IPARD measures the percentage of refunds for completed investment increases when it comes to young farmers (under 40 years), and the ranking criteria, such as the extent of the IPARD 302 young entrepreneurs who have less than 40 years old at the time of filing the application, can achieve an additional 15 points. The Rural Development Programme will be measures that will encourage young farmers and new programming period of the EU common agricultural politics (CAP) to bring a special financial aid for young farmers under the direct payments, but it is still in the programming phase of the Member States ".
What about you explain Agency and Ministry is the fact that the IPARD 2007-2013 is nearing completion. By the end of the first quarter of 2014 there will be the last competition of the IPARD. Afterwards, Croatia will benefit from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The basis for the use of the Fund´s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. Who should receive approval and confirmation of the EU, approximately by the end of 2014. For this fund should be used more than 400 million, among other things, to encourage young farmers.
However, the competent Croatian institutions have already determined that this money will be spent on investment in tangible assets, the development of agricultural economy and entrepreneurship, basic services and village renewal in rural areas, agri-environmental measures, organic farming, payment and areas with specific natural constraints (NATURA 2000), crop insurance, animals and plants and the LEADER program. Incentives and grants are intended exclusively for young farmers is not mentioned anywhere.
Modeled on European, established the Croatian Association of Young Farmers-H.U.M.P.The aim is to develop and promote young and innovative agricultural sector throughout Croatian and create better living and working conditions for young people who want to be farmers, as well as those who are already engaged in this activity.Also want to promote innovative agricultural activities, to create a positive climate for entrepreneurship in agriculture and engage in dialogue between young farmers, scientists and regulatory institutions in the Republic of Croatia and the European Union. H.U.M.P. has about 110 members mostly aged 19-35 years, working in all sectors of agriculture farming, fruit and vegetables, dairy and even beekeeping. Association brought together a team that is preparing projects to obtain funding from the EU. One of the innovative ideas are "mechanization ring" where they will try to save up in order to avoid individual cost of of purchasing the mechanization, on what goes a large part of the funding money.
Croatian Association of Young Farmers is a member CERYC´s (Central European center of rural youth) and an associate member of the European Association of Young Farmers (CEJA).When asked if members of the H.U.M.P.maybe know about the possibilities and sources of financing young farmers responded that Croatia will "soon" for the first time be able to use money intended for young farmers, through programs "top up" and "start up". The first program is for young and new farmers and agricultural workers, which will provide a minimum of 2% of the national budget for stimulating addition to direct payments in the amount of 25%, which means that if a young farmer gets a boost of € 300 will receive the addition of 25% per hectare in the first 5 years of operation. Other "Start Up" program is also intended for young and new farmers who will receive one-time assistance for setting up their business for the first time in the amount of 3,500 to a maximum of 70,000 euros. The H.U.M.P. hopes that the ratio of contribution to 80% co-financed by the EU, and 20% state. But even they do not know the deadline for the implementation of this aid.
This is confirmed by the statements of representatives of young farmers who, before going to Brussels, participated in one of the radio broadcasts for rural areas and agriculture: "It is obvious that the EU is ready to encourage the development of rural areas, to help young people in the agricultural sector and thus prevent depopulation of villages . Money has, the only thing that is hard to find in Croatia information and especially money, considering that the sites of state institutions do not regenerate as fast what is making good decisions in the European Union ".
Source: ag-press.eu
