Within the Basque Community of Practice, advisors applied facilitation techniques learned through the ClimateSmartAdvisors project to strengthen knowledge exchange and improve advisory practice. One example was an exchange meeting with INTIA colleagues on advisory approaches for manure and slurry management. This peer exchange helped compare methods, reflect on experience, and identify more effective, context-specific advice for Basque farms.
The agro-livestock sector faces a major challenge: ensuring generational renewal in a context shaped by climate change, rapid digitalization, market volatility, and pressure on natural resources. In this context, generational renewal is not only a demographic issue but also a strategic condition for the continuity, sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience of rural areas. The Gaztenek Plan addresses this challenge by supporting young people entering the sector and farm owners preparing for succession.
Gaztenek goes beyond financial aid and supports the whole transition process. For young farmers, it helps overcome barriers such as access to land, administrative complexity, and financial uncertainty through technical advisory, training, and support in preparing incorporation and business plans. For retiring farmers, it facilitates fair transfer agreements and helps ensure that farms remain viable and attractive during succession.
A key strength of the plan is its proximity-based advisory approach. It encourages knowledge exchange between experienced farmers and newcomers, strengthens collaboration among families, local stakeholders, and administrations, and provides mentorship during the first years after installation. This reduces isolation and supports innovation, sustainability, technological integration, environmental stewardship, and value-added strategies. A key lesson learned is that financial support alone is not enough: long-term success depends on continuous expert advisory during establishment and succession.
The Gaztenek Plan acts as a bridge between two generations and helps ensure that the knowledge accumulated over decades is not lost but adapted to current needs. For young entrepreneurs, support includes project-specific viability analysis that considers local climate, soil quality, and market demand. Training covers agricultural techniques, business management, digital tools, and environmental sustainability. Support in preparing a Business Plan is also important for accessing grants and managing resources efficiently.
For retiring farm owners, the plan facilitates responsible transfer through mediation and sustainable planning, helping prevent the farm from losing value before the successor takes over. Its practical approach is based on trust and proximity. Shared learning enables young people to benefit from experience, while experienced farmers are encouraged by new ideas and technological skills. Networking among families, local stakeholders, and administrations helps reduce isolation, while post-incorporation mentorship provides support when real management challenges appear.
The plan also promotes innovation and sustainability through precision agriculture, IoT sensors, management software, biodiversity protection, reduced carbon footprints, niche markets, short supply chains, and on-farm product transformation.
A key lesson from advisory experience is that while funding may help start the process, expert advisory is decisive for long-term success. Its value lies in risk mitigation, resource optimization, and strategic support, helping young entrepreneurs navigate regulations, administrative procedures, technical choices, and market uncertainty. In this way, the plan supports not only farm continuity, but also the preservation of landscape, rural culture, and the social fabric of rural territories.
