MaYA highlights key barriers facing young farmers in Malta

Following a request from the Office of MEP Peter Agius regarding the upcoming European Parliament report on Generational Renewal in Agriculture, the Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA) Foundation shared its feedback on some of the main challenges affecting young people entering or remaining in agriculture in Malta.

Drawing from MaYA’s continuous engagement with farmers locally, as well as its regular participation in EU-wide fora, conferences, stakeholder meetings and rural policy discussions, two recurring concerns continue to emerge strongly.

Access to agricultural land

The cost of agricultural land in Malta remains one of the biggest barriers for young farmers. In reality, prices are often significantly higher than what is reflected in official reports, with land locally reaching approximately €100,000 per tumolo (for context: 8.9 tumoli is equivalent to 1 hectare).

This situation makes it increasingly difficult for young people to access land and establish viable agricultural operations, particularly in a context where agricultural land is also being pressured by recreational and speculative uses.

MaYA has consistently highlighted the need to safeguard productive agricultural land and ensure that genuine farmers are not priced out of the sector.

Increasing bureaucracy and administrative burdens

Despite EU-level efforts towards simplification, farmers in Malta continue to face increasing bureaucracy at local level. Procedures involving multiple authorities remain complex and time-consuming, especially for farmers simultaneously managing production, environmental obligations and land-related requirements.

Simplification must not only exist at policy level, but also be reflected in practical implementation and coordination between entities.

These concerns are not new and have been raised consistently by MaYA over the years through various meetings, discussions, media interventions and stakeholder engagement activities, including RTK discussions on the increasing recreational use of agricultural land and its impact on affordability and access for genuine farmers.

As a foundation actively engaged in national and European agricultural dialogue, MaYA will continue advocating for practical and realistic measures that support generational renewal, land accessibility and the long-term sustainability of farming in Malta.