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Zsófia Márta Tengölics
31/03/2025 21:59
While the European Union seeks to address this challenge through generational renewal and various subsidies, Japan, South Korea, and China are also implementing different solutions to secure the future of their agriculture. Can Hungary serve as a model for the Eurasian region?
In Europe, the issue of an aging agricultural society was first acknowledged in the 1992 MacSharry reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, which institutionalized early retirement for farmers. Over the past 30 years, the EU has sought to address this issue by supporting young farmers and promoting generational renewal. In Hungary, the legal framework for farm succession was created specifically to retain rural populations by facilitating generational change in agriculture.
The question arises whether Asian agricultural societies face similar challenges. To answer this, we must examine the extent to which agriculture has been (and remains) a defining economic sector in the regions under study.
In Japan, for instance, the 19th century saw a thriving agricultural society, employing approximately 85 per cent of the population. Today, however, labor shortages and an aging farming population are recognized as major challenges by the Japanese government. The declining number of agricultural workers threatens food self-sufficiency, increasing Japan’s dependence on food imports.
Similarly, South Korea has undergone a dramatic transformation, shifting from a feudal agricultural society to a high-tech economy. As a result, agricultural production has drastically declined, leading to significant income disparities between rural and urban populations.
China stands out in terms of self-sufficiency. Following a population boom, the country has successfully identified the agricultural products it needs to import—though these do not include basic food staples. From an economic perspective, agriculture accounts for roughly 7 per cent of China’s GDP, a figure influenced by rapid urbanization. To bridge inequalities, the Chinese government is increasingly prioritizing young people who choose farming as a profession, supporting rural revitalization efforts. However, challenges remain, particularly concerning the geographical distribution of arable land, which could lead to greater reliance on imports in the future—potentially strengthening Hungarian-Chinese export relations.
Depopulating rural areas and an aging agricultural workforce are not exclusively European concerns. Lawmakers and agricultural policymakers must strive to develop shared solutions that can be applied across Eurasia. Hungary could lead the way with its farm succession model, while the adoption of precision agriculture in the region would be the icing on the cake.
The author is a PhD student