COCOREADO is not a project about young people, but we co-create with young people. This makes the project more powerful. In the consortium, we have representatives of the youth umbrella organizations. One of them is CEJA, that represents national organizations of young farmers from all the EU. Their main objective is to direct the concerns of young farmers towards the European institutions and to shape relevant policymaking. Established in Rome in 1958, today CEJA represents around 2 million young farmers in Europe from 32 national organisations spanning across 23 Member States, including two associate members from Serbia and UK and one observer member from Malta. They have a Brussels-based secretariat with 4 paid staff members and the Board is composed of 5 young farmers who voluntarily represent CEJA.
Young farmers across Europe face enormous challenges, the first being that: they are not enough young farmers! Europe is facing a serious generational renewal issue in its agriculture with an ageing farming population: only 11% of all farm holdings in the European Union are run by farmers under 40. Young farmers are confronted with many obstacles, from climate change to a vulnerable position in the food supply chain. They are the ones who produce our food for tomorrow, but yet remain price-takers, with a low bargaining power in the food chain. As voice of young farmers, CEJA entirely subscribe to the main aim of COCOREADO, being rebalancing the position of the farmer in the food supply chain. We want to bring farmers – especially the young ones – at the decision-making table to shape together the future of our food systems. This Call for Ambassadors is a step forward in this direction.
Do you want to be part of this initiative? Have a look at the Call’s site and apply by the 21st of November.
Alice Minichini – CEJA