German farmers have to deal with many difficulties – from bureaucracy to climate change. But the biggest problem is another: demographic. One warm July morning I travel to a farm in Zullighaven, a small village in North Rhine-Westphalia. As I approach the farm, the owner, Dorothe Hochgirtel, is already standing and greeting me from afar.

The green landscape is enchanting, it stretches as far as the eye can see and gives you a sweet feeling of isolation, away from the rest of the world.

65-year-old Dorothe has owned the farm since 2001, keeping over 100 animals, as well as an orchard, where she grows over 130 different types of apples. As a natural scientist, he still maintains a position in the pharmaceutical industry. But it is not how she will make a living that concerns her the most: “I know I am not going to get any younger. I am nearing retirement age and the question I ask myself over and over again is this: to whom will I leave my farm?’

Dorothe has two children, but to her dismay, neither of them wants to take over the farm – nor does any other young person in Dorothe’s circle. And Dorothe is not the only German peasant who faces this problem.

Work-life balance and land prices

Agriculture makes up less than 1% of Germany’s GDP – a figure significantly lower than in countries such as France and Poland. At the same time, as Reinhard Jung, consultant of the Free Farmers lobbying group, explains, the German agricultural sector is also affected by… demographic changes. “The lack of skilled workers is a problem in all sectors [της γερμανικής οικονομίας]”, he tells DW – and agriculture is among the sectors most affected by the lack of new workers.

Today’s young people want “a good work-life balance,” Jung explains. Thus, the farming profession, which requires long hours of hard work and often has no holidays at all, is a far from attractive career prospect for young people.

In addition, young farmers from families who do not own their own farm are finding it increasingly difficult to buy or rent a plot of land as prices have soared over the past decade – and there is no sign of them falling again anytime soon.

The weather is a big problem, but the bureaucracy is bigger

Another thing that worries Dorothy is the unusual weather conditions. Due to climate change the weather is worsening, making conditions more unpredictable during the summer months. “The economic losses expected from climate change are making it even more expensive to run a farm,” says Dorothe.

Reinhard Jung, however, does not believe that climate change is connected to the reluctance of young people to work in agriculture. According to him, the biggest deterrent is bureaucracy – a problem the EU has magnified in its quest to make agriculture greener. “I have realized that many young people want to go into farming because they like rural life. But the regulatory framework around sustainability in the agricultural sector has been shaped by politicians who believe that agriculture pollutes the environment – and therefore agriculture is bad.”

Christina Vogel from the German Agricultural Society (DLG) also agrees that it is a “challenge” to make a career in agriculture. “Today there are many demands in the agricultural sector, mainly in terms of legislation and consumer pressures, but also climate change, as well as costs,” he tells DW, adding that to compensate for all this, “the farmers of the future they should have stable long-term prospects. Here too, the reduction of bureaucracy is important, which can limit business returns.”

Minimal interest in a career in agriculture

According to Christoph Seiner of the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, the two main deterrents for young people are working conditions and wages.

“It is not surprising that young people choose the career that pays best. However, the overall economic impact of the labor shortage in agriculture will be small,” he tells DW.

Last winter German farmers wanted to draw the attention of public opinion to the problems they have to face. Thousands of farmers blocked roads in Berlin with their tractors, protesting against government plans to cut farm diesel subsidies. In the end the farmers only partially achieved their goal, with the government merely agreeing to implement the cuts over a longer period of time.

Talking to young Germans on the streets of Bonn, I found that today’s young people probably think of agricultural work as something completely foreign. As one young lady explains, “the desire for a good work-life balance” is absolutely justified in a “developed country”. “Besides, we’re long past the Industrial Revolution, so I don’t think I’d ever consider farming as a career.”

Dorothe Hochgirtel meanwhile is determined to carry on until she can no longer walk on her land. He is even making plans for the future – intending, among other things, to show those who may have forgotten that farming is the profession that feeds them. “I hope I can continue for several more years. I also plan to organize various guided tours for students, group events or even a big festival. All I want is to promote agriculture and show that it can be done in a different way.”

Edited by: Giorgos Passas