26 young people join the Gaztenek Berri program that seeks to rejuvenate and modernize the primary sector and provide them with new tools to meet the challenges of the 21st century
26 young people join the Gaztenek Berri program that seeks to rejuvenate and modernize the primary sector and provide them with new tools to meet the challenges of the 21st century
26 young people join the Gaztenek Berri program that seeks to rejuvenate and modernize the primary sector and provide them with new tools to meet the challenges of the 21st century
The methodology to be applied is that of MTA (Mondragon Team Academy) of Mondragon Unibertsitatea
Generational renewal and entrepreneurship are essential for the survival and modernization of the Basque agri-food chain as a whole, which is an important part of the socio-economic development of the Basque Country. With this premise, the Basque Government and the three Provincial Councils launched, back in 2004, the Gaztenek program aimed at facilitating the incorporation of young people into the primary sector and the rural world. Now, with the technical and pedagogical collaboration of the Mondragon Unibertsitatea Business Faculty, this program has been modernized to adapt it to current needs.
Under the name of "Gaztenek Berri" this program, which has been presented today at a working day held in Oñati with the presence of Bittor Oroz, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Policy, together with Javier Larrañaga, Deputy of Economic Promotion, Tourism and Rural Environment of Gipuzkoa; Eduardo Aguinaco, Deputy for Agriculture of Alava; Amaia Antxustegi, Deputy for Sustainability and Natural Environment of Bizkaia and Lander Beloki, Dean of the Business Faculty of Mondragon Unibertsitatea, will give continuity to the pioneering Gaztenek program to offer a comprehensive service to support entrepreneurship in the primary sector.
Gaztenek Berri
Now, with the implementation of Gaztenek Berri, Basque Government and Provincial Councils seek, with the assistance of Mondragon Unibersitatea, to expand the training in business management, digitization and innovation of all young people who come to the Gaztenek program, as well as to awaken in them the curiosity and desire to respond to real challenges and needs of the sector and the environment.
In this new stage, the aim is for projects to be increasingly innovative, generate greater added value and be led by people with a vision of the future. In addition, it is necessary to raise awareness and qualify the ecosystem of support for agricultural entrepreneurship with a focus on the new period 2023-2027.
Gaztenek Berri is looking for young people motivated by entrepreneurship in the primary sector, with initiative and willingness to live new experiences in a team and discovering innovative tools, methodologies and initiatives.
A total of 26 young people (11 from Alava, 6 from Bizkaia and 9 from Gipuzkoa) have agreed to participate in this new training challenge that aims to rejuvenate and modernize the primary sector by offering them tools that will enable them to face the new challenges of the 21st century, from business management, digitalization in agro-livestock work and new techniques and innovations in this field.
The methodology to be applied is that of MTA (Mondragon Team Academy) of Mondragon Unibersitatea, whose key is the concept of "learning by doing". Thus, learning will be based on the entrepreneurial projects presented and the process will be developed through a program that includes, among other ingredients and dynamic online sessions with the aim of understanding the problems of the sector, learning about future trends and discovering innovation tools, and will also include specific mentoring sessions.
Also included are the so-called "learning trips" that will consist of experiential sessions to learn about innovative environments in the primary sector that inspire and help to expand the network of contacts and facilitate informal spaces that enhance team dynamics.
Gaztenek Program (2004 - 2022)
The Gaztenek Program began in 2004, led by the Basque Government and the three Provincial Councils in collaboration with sectorial and territorial agents, and since then it has been providing assistance both in the idea generation phase and in the business creation and consolidation of projects, thus providing a guarantee for the viability and continuity of projects in the primary sector.
During these years, progress has been made in the rejuvenation and modernization of the sector, while respecting tradition and the family farming model.
Thus, from 2004 to 2022, a total of 919 people with their respective business projects (353 in Bizkaia, 306 in Gipuzkoa and 260 in Araba) have been helped to enter the rural environment and the primary sector. Of these, 275 are women and 594 men, with the majority age range being between 25 and 40 years old.
By subsectors, 476 people have joined agriculture (mainly horticulture, fruit growing and winemaking) and 443 have joined livestock farming (dairy and beef cattle and sheep, in general). In turn, of the projects approved, about 175 are developing organic or integrated production.