More and more pupils and students, drawn to agriculture. Young people are also encouraged by the profitable businesses in this field
Agricultural faculties and high schools are becoming increasingly attractive, leading the relevant ministry to increase the number of available spots.
The new technologies and digitization in this field have changed the perception of young people, encouraged by the fact that agriculture businesses can be profitable.
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Alexandru is a horticulture student, and next year he's set to go on an Erasmus scholarship to Valencia, Spain. Since childhood, he has been passionate about fruit trees and wanted to learn as much as possible about their cultivation.
Alexandru: "It all started with their grafting. I was very curious how a twig from another tree can take root and grow and multiply. And, from there, I delved deeper and ended up here, where I like it very much".
Like Alexandru, there are many students who have recognized the potential of agriculture. If in 2016, Romania was last in Europe in terms of the number of young people working in agriculture, now the situation has become more balanced. According to Eurostat data, in 2022, Romania ranked 5th in the European Union in this regard.
This year, during the first admission session at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV), over 2,500 applicants enrolled. 200 spots are still available, mainly for tuition-paying students, and professors expect them to be filled during the second session.
Mircea Mihalache, Vice Rector of USAMV: "There were study programs that had over two candidates per spot, referring to veterinary medicine and agriculture. In general, most study programs had more than one candidate per spot. Our graduates have many opportunities, with most finding employment in their field of study as early as the first study year".
Agricultural profile high schools are also in demand, as they continually improve their educational offerings.
The Ministry of Education increased the number of admitted students to agricultural high schools by 686 spots this year. The occupancy rate is 82%, and the number of students who chose the agricultural specialization has increased in 2023, with 3,414 students compared to 3,040 in 2022.
Marinela Culea, a school director: "We were granted an extra class in the agricultural field. Everything is digitized. Students need to understand that choosing an agricultural high school doesn't mean they're going back to plowing by hand".
The state also supports the growth of young people in agriculture. This year, the "Young Farmer" program received 100 million euros.
