Key Takeaways
- EIT Food and the PepsiCo Foundation have launched Future Harvest, targeting young farmers across France, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, and Turkey.
- The program aims to reach around 900 farmers during 2026 through a mix of online learning and hands-on farm-based experiences.
- Only around 11% of European farm managers are under 40, per European Commission and Eurostat data, with small and medium farms facing acute pressure from climate change, rising input costs, and market volatility.
- Future Harvest runs June to December 2026 and covers regenerative farming, digital tools, and business and financial skills via a customized learning pathway and FarmHub.
- The program is funded by the PepsiCo Foundation and implemented by EIT Food with local partners across each of the five participating countries.
EIT Food and PepsiCo Foundation Launch Future Harvest for Young European Farmers
EIT Food, backed by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, and the PepsiCo Foundation have jointly launched Future Harvest, a new program to support young and next-generation farmers across Europe. Operating across France, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, and Turkey, the initiative aims to reach around 900 farmers during 2026.
The program responds to a documented demographic challenge in European agriculture. According to European Commission and Eurostat data, only around 11% of farm managers across Europe are under 40. Against this backdrop, small and medium-sized farms face intensifying pressure from climate change, rising input costs, and market volatility, putting rural livelihoods and long-term food security at risk.
What Future Harvest Delivers
Future Harvest combines online learning with practical, farm-based experiences. The curriculum covers regenerative and climate-resilient farming practices, digital tools and agritech applications, and business and financial management skills. Participants follow a customized learning pathway and access the Future Harvest FarmHub, through which they can take part in farm clinics, field visits, peer exchange sessions, and mentoring that connect them with innovation ecosystems and sector expertise.
While built on a shared European framework, delivery is locally adapted in each of the five participating countries to reflect national farming contexts. The program runs from June to December 2026.
“Europe's farming future depends on whether the next generation sees agriculture as a place to build, innovate and lead. That is why we are teaming up with the PepsiCo Foundation: to give young farmers the skills, confidence and networks to regenerate the land, strengthen their businesses and shape a more resilient food system,” said Richard Zaltman, CEO of EIT Food.
PepsiCo Foundation Funding and Rationale
Future Harvest is funded by the PepsiCo Foundation and implemented by EIT Food in collaboration with local partners. The PepsiCo Foundation frames its involvement as aligned with its goal of strengthening sustainable food systems and expanding economic opportunity in farming communities.
“As a food and beverage company, PepsiCo's connection to agriculture is fundamental. The ingredients in PepsiCo's products start with farmers and farming families who are facing growing pressure, from rising costs to climate uncertainty. Through the PepsiCo Foundation, we aim to support initiatives like Future Harvest that are rooted in local realities and delivered with trusted partners, helping farming communities build resilience and opportunity over time,” said Monica Bauer, Senior Vice President of Global Social Impact at PepsiCo and President of the PepsiCo Foundation.
Information on eligibility and application timelines will be published via EIT Food and program partners. No funding size was disclosed.
