The fourth cohort has started the Agro Intergeneration programme, an initiative by Banca Transilvania and the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, designed to build agribusiness skills. Nearly 30 participants come from families who are BT agribusiness clients across 14 counties. The bank’s contribution for each participant is EUR 1,400.

Agro Intergeneration runs over six months and is structured in modules delivered by faculty from USAMV Cluj-Napoca. Participants have the chance to learn about business administration, financial management, leadership, innovation and agricultural marketing. The experience is complemented by meetings with farmers invited to the courses, as well as the opportunity to visit farms abroad.

“We see that taking over and continuing family businesses is a challenge for agriculture, as well as for other sectors, so the interest in Agro Intergeneration, launched by BT and USAMV Cluj-Napoca in 2020, is very encouraging. The programme is Banca Transilvania’s commitment to support agriculture in ways other than financing and advisory. We support those who support Romania”. – says Sorin Ignat, Agribusiness Director, Banca Transilvania.

Through this programme, BT and USAMV aim to grow a community ready to help ensure continuity for farms and other family-run businesses in agriculture. Generational renewal, by attracting young people into agriculture, is also among the objectives of the EU Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027, and agriculture and rural areas are central to the European Green Deal. Having several generations in the same business can mean a more modern approach to agriculture, complementarity, and a chance for a family to be a role model in its community.

Nearly 45% of farmers in Romania are over 65

The uncertainty around succession in family agribusinesses in Romania stems mainly from attitudes, demographics and labour migration. According to European Commission data:

• Nearly 45% of farmers in Romania are over 65;
• Romania has the highest number of farmers in the EU: 3.5 million;
• 23% of Romania’s workforce is employed;
• 90% of farms in the country are small, with less than 5 hectares;
• 13.5 million hectares is the area used in Romania, 57% of the country’s total area;
• Less than 5% of Romania’s agricultural area is farmed organically — the lowest share in the EU.

Banca Transilvania is the largest supporter of Romanian agriculture, with over 40,000 clients and around 20% market share. Its commitment is to help reposition the sector through education, financing and support for greater technology uptake and specialisation, to aid the transition to a sustainable, competitive agricultural sector.