KAZALCI OKOLJA

Key message
Neutral

Despite the fact that the level of education on Slovenian agricultural holdings has significantly improved in the period 2000-20120, it is still quite unfavourable. Still, more than half of the farmers have only practical experience with work in agriculture. In all age classes, the number of farmers who have completed one of the forms of formal agricultural education is increasing. Under the Rural Development Program 2014-2020, 133,320 participants participated in education and training in the sub-measure M01.1: Support for vocational training and skills acquisition actions. More than three quarter of them were educated in the field of Agri-environment-climate payments and Organic farming. The share of farmers with basic and complete agricultural education in Slovenia is higher than the average in the EU-27 countries, but Slovenia still lags considerably behind the most developed Western European countries.


The indicator shows the educational level of farmers of agricultural holdings in Slovenia based on the achieved agricultural education. Their favourable age and educational structure is one of the important factors which can contribute to the more efficient management of the agricultural holdings, as only well-educated, innovative and aware farmers can more easily adapt to contemporary economic, environmental and social conditions. The number of participants in the trainings under the Rural Development Programme does not provide a direct link between the achieved level of education and the environmental effectiveness of agricultural policy measures but shows the willingness of decision-makers on farms to educate and introduce environmentally friendly farming methods.

The indicator also shows the participation rate of the rural population in lifelong learning and training programs in rural areas. The participation rate in education and training covers participation in formal and non-formal education and training. Participation of adults in education and training is a measure of lifelong learning.


Charts

Figure KM07-2: Agricultural education of holders on agricultural holdings in Slovenia by age classes
Sources:

Eurostat, 2024

Show data
2005[number] 2010[number] 2016[number] 2020[number]
Less than 35 years 2100 1730 1320 770
35-64 years 32000 29010 21670 11630
Over 65 years 21480 17300 12040 18010
Less than 35 years 660 780 960 690
35-64 years 11830 14790 17220 8900
Over 65 years 3880 4370 6580 6970
Less than 35 years 670 730 950 1900
35-64 years 3680 4910 7860 16230
Over 65 years 860 1020 1320 2670
Total 77160 74640 69920 67770
Figure KM07-3: Number of participants in training under Sub-measure M01:Support for vocational training and skills acquisition actions
Sources:

MAFF, 2024

Show data
Forestry[Number] Agri-environment-climate payments [Number] Organic farming[Number] Animal wellfare[Number] Young farmers[Number] Processing and marketing[Number] Total[Number]
2015 1146 1146
2016 6451 3154 173 9778
2017 1080 6896 3260 6812 219 18267
2018 6768 3339 7843 109 18059
2019 1023 108 3461 7897 101 12590
2020 967 7324 7092 8139 84 23606
2021 13289 8587 21876
2022 12512 7036 8392 58 27998
Figure KM07-4: Share of holders with basic and fukll agricultural training in Slovenia and other EU Member States
Sources:

Eurostat, 2024

Show data
2005[%] 2010[%] 2016[%] 2020[%]
Romania 7.37 2.52 3.23 5.50
Greece 5.39 3.48 6.80 5.89
Croatia 0 4.96 10.92 8.26
Bulgaria 5.30 3.42 9.31 16.51
Malta 0.45 9.82 31.15 20.52
Slovakia 14.60 23.79 23.03 24.15
Spain 10.45 15.33 21.69 24.40
Cyprus 6.42 5.71 27.48 31.54
Sweden 33.56 31.82 32.21 34.75
Hungary 13.38 14.48 21.27 38.80
Poland 38.50 45.94 44.75 40.56
Italy 11.22 95.03 97.55 41.15
Ireland 30.69 31.01 49.75 42.15
Lithuania 30.90 30.01 38.64 43.20
Finland 40.61 44.97 45.81 45.19
Estonia 32.90 36.51 39.76 48.81
Portugall 11.81 12.03 48.53 48.91
Latvia 34.06 38.52 46.78 50.46
Denmark 44.45 49.08 53.01 51.20
Slovenia 27.98 35.65 49.89 51.51
Belgium 47.73 47.82 47.27 51.81
Czechia 44.71 56.65 57.22 53.23
Austria 48.07 48.04 46.99 54.48
Luxembourg 55.92 60.45 63.96 62.77
France 54.34 50.32 63.42 64.60
Germany 68.47 68.58 65.38 66.80
Netherlands 71.47 71.18 78.34 81.90
Figure KM07-5: Share of rural population in the EU countries involved in life-long learnining programmes
Sources:

Eurostat, 2024

Show data
2007[%] 2011[%] 2016[%] 2022[%]
Bulgaria 34.60 20.70 15.30 9.80
Greece 9.20 7.10 8.50 12.40
Romania 4.50 5.40 5 16
Poland 15.20 18.40 17.90 19.40
Croatia 15.40 0 25.10 22.40
Lithuania 28.40 20.90 19.20 25.80
Italy 18.50 30.80 39.30 31.40
Portugal 23.10 38.80 42.10 39.20
Slovenia 39.50 33.50 42.80 39.90
Belgium 36.10 29.50 41 40.80
Czechia 37.70 32 42.50 42.60
Spain 27.10 30 35 42.80
Denmark 39.50 52.60 43.30 44.40
Estonia 40.50 46.20 43.10 45.60
EU-27 32.80 40.20 43.70 46.60
Finland 47.80 49.70 45.90 46.70
Cyprus 34.60 39.70 47.70 47.10
France 31.40 47.40 49.20 48
Luxembourg 0 70.70 47.20 48.50
Malta 0 27.40 36 48.60
Latvia 32.10 30.40 44.60 49.60
Ireland 0 20.60 48.90 50.80
Slovakia 39.60 43.90 44.20 52.30
Austria 37.30 46 59.30 54.60
Germany 47.50 51.10 53.50 54.90
Hungary 8.10 38.50 52.10 57.30
Netherlands 41.30 54.40 59.20 61.40
Sweden 72.20 64.50 58.60 70.40

Goals

  • Improving the educational structure on agricultural holdings,
  • guiding future holders towards formal forms of education,
  • constant raising of awareness, training and education of stakeholders who ensure the protection of natural resources and ecosystem services.

The educational structure of farmers on Slovenian agricultural holdings is quite unfavourable. According to the data from agricultural census in the year 2000, there were 86,336 farmers in Slovenia. As many as 72,440 (85.8%) had no formal agricultural education and only had practical experience with agriculture, a further 7,045 (8.3%) completed basic courses in agriculture, and 4,982 (5.9%) had formal agricultural education. In the year 2020, when the last sample survey of the structure of agricultural holdings was carried out, the number of holders decreased to 52,557, and their educational structure improved significantly. The share of farmers with only practical experience in agriculture amounts to 51.8%. This share is slightly higher than it was during the sample survey of agricultural holdings in 2016, but the data of labour force are not directly comparable due to different thresholds of agricultural holdings.

According to the data from the 2020 survey of agricultural holdings, the educational structure of farmers between different age groups is improving. Compared to the data from 2005, the number of farmers with only practical experience in agriculture in the age group up to 35 years decreased by almost two third (63.3%), while the number of farmers with basic and full agricultural training almost doubled (+94%). The situation is similar in the age group over 65 years, where the number of those who have only practical experience in agriculture decreased by 16.2%, while the number of farmers with basic and full agricultural training increased by more than three times.

In 2020, the share of managers on agricultural holdings, who have at least one form of formal agricultural education (basic or full agricultural training) in Slovenia is 51.5%, which is significantly better than the average level in the EU-27 member states (27.6%). The lowest share of managers on agricultural holdings with formal agricultural education is found in Romania, Greece and Croatia, where this share is lower than 10%. In contrast, managers on agricultural holdings with the most favourable educational structure are in some Western European countries, such as the Netherlands (81.9%), Germany (66.8%) and France (64.8%).

Under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 for Slovenia, the sub-measure M01.1: Support for vocational training and skills acquisition actions is being implemented. This sub-measure is intended for training courses required at the time of entry or at the time measure-related obligations are fulfilled for different sub-measures, such as: agri-environment-climate payment, organic farming and animal welfare. Training is also provided in the field of marketing and processing of agricultural products and occupational safety in forests. Trainings are also provided for young farmers, who are a specific target group. In the period 2015-2022, 133,320 participants attended education and training. The majority of participants attended training in the field of Agri-environment-climate measures (40.0 %) organic farming (35.9%) and animal welfare (20.5%).

In 2022, 39.9% of rural residents in Slovenia were included in the lifelong learning programmes in rural areas. This is slightly less than the EU-27 average (46.6%). In 2022, Bulgaria (9.8%) and Greece (12.4%) had the lowest share of people included in lifelong learning programmes in rural areas, while the highest share were in Sweden (70.4%) and in the Netherlands (61.4%).


Methodology