Basque Culinary Center and AgroBank present Impulso Agro, the first generation of young agro-food talents

• This is a selection of 40 professionals under the age of 40 who are facing the different challenges of the future and who make up the new generation of the agri-food and gastronomic sector.
• The publication of this compilation is part of the ImpulsoAgro initiative, which recognizes and supports young people whose work and projects serve as inspiration for the transformation of the primary sector.
  
• The list covers a wide range of profiles that are distributed in the following categories: Generational change, Innovation and research, Social, Economic and environmental sustainability, Entrepreneurship and professionalization of the sector, Digital transformation, Changes in consumption habits and product and Gastronomy.
• This first generation of Impulso Agro highlights a transformative trend in rural areas: the majority of the selected people are women, which reflects a significant change compared to the female exodus of past decades.

Today, Basque Culinary Center and AgroBank, CaixaBank's agro business line, announce the first generation of Impulso Agro, a joint initiative that recognizes 40 professionals under the age of 40 who are facing the great challenges of the present and future of the agri-food and gastronomic sector with talent, innovation and commitment.

From non-alcoholic wines to smart sensors for cows, these 40 young talents are revolutionizing the agri-food sector with brave, sustainable and high-impact ideas. They have created beekeeping bio-refuges, reinvented cider and wool, launched award-winning kombuchas, designed smart farms, promoted pistachio cultivation in Spain, recovered native breeds and founded regenerative agriculture projects, among other things. Their ability to fuse tradition, science and technology not only revitalizes rural areas, but also paves the way for a more innovative, sustainable and socially connected agri-food system.

The publication of this compilation is part of the Impulso Agro project, whose objective is to make visible and support young people whose projects are transforming the primary sector, while promoting the creation of a community that connects the different involved agents. A network that serves as a space for growth, inspiration and networking.

The agri-food sector plays a key role in economic and social development, facing challenges such as innovation, climate change, digital transformation, generational change, professionalization, food security or changes in consumption habits. Each of these challenges represents an opportunity to build a more dynamic, sustainable and competitive sector. In this context, the role of new generations is essential to ensure its evolution and resilience. Therefore, both AgroBank and Basque Culinary Center have promoted this biennial initiative, convinced that supporting young talent is key to the transformation of the sector. A commitment to transform the agri-food system from the root, building new ways of producing, feeding and living together.

According to Jaime Campos, director of AgroBank, “at AgroBank we are convinced that the agri-food sector is key to the sustainable development of our rural areas and a strategic sector for our society, from an economic, social and environmental perspective. Therefore, we believe it is essential to support and make visible the new generation of professionals who are innovating and revitalizing this sector, generating employment, wealth and culture. It is a pride for AgroBank to launch this project together with the Basque Culinary Center to support and back the young people who will make all these things happen.”

“At Basque Culinary Center we firmly believe that new generations are playing a crucial role in the transformation of the agri-food and gastronomic sectors. Therefore, it is strategic for us to develop an initiative like Impulso Agro together with AgroBank, which allows us to support and make visible the emerging talent in the agri-food sector. This action is added to others such as the ‘100 Young Gastronomy Talents’, which reinforce our commitment to the future of the sector,” says Joxe Mari Aizega, general director of Basque Culinary Center.

40 young people under 40 years old

In this first edition of Impulso Agro, 40 outstanding profiles have been selected, available in AgroBank Hub, representing a wide spectrum of the agri-food chain. This selection is the result of exhaustive work carried out over months by a committee of experts made up of professionals from Basque Culinary Center, AgroBank and different specialized agents in the sector.

The objective has been to identify young people under the age of 40 who lead transformative projects with real capacity to impact the future of the agri-food system, from a multidisciplinary perspective that encompasses production and processing, distribution, marketing and connection with gastronomy.

The selected profiles have been grouped into categories that reflect the main challenges and opportunities of the current agri-food sector: social, economic and environmental sustainability; generational change; innovation and research; entrepreneurship and professionalization; digital transformation; evolution in consumption habits and the link between product and gastronomy. Through this diversity, the projects represent the commitment of a new generation that understands food not only as a necessity, but as a way to generate value, territorial development and social well-being.

The 40 selected young people are a reflection of the dynamism of rural areas and the transformative energy of new generations. They all share the same conviction: that food, in its multiple dimensions —health, culture, tradition, enjoyment, history—, plays a fundamental role in people's lives. Faced with a food system that has guaranteed food security and accessibility for decades, many of these young people are now working to regain its recognition, betting on more sustainable, conscious and socially connected models.

The category with the greatest representation has been sustainability, which shows the growing concern to achieve a balance between economic, social and environmental aspects. This is joined by a significant presence of projects linked to generational change, one of the most urgent issues in the sector, as well as a notable participation of entrepreneurial profiles that are professionalizing the agro sector from innovative approaches.

In addition, this first generation of Impulso Agro reveals a particularly relevant fact: the majority of selected people are women, which reflects a change in trend in rural areas, where many are deciding to develop their lives and professional careers, in contrast to the female exodus of previous decades.

On the other hand, innovation crosses a large part of the selected projects transversally, beyond the specific categories of research or digitalization. It represents a common attitude: to seek new ways of producing, transforming, marketing or disseminating, with the aim of improving the agri-food sector in all its dimensions. Whether applying regenerative agriculture techniques, revaluing by-products from the sea or the field, betting on new crops or creating healthier and more sustainable foods.

Regarding geographical origin, Castilla y León and Andalusia lead the representation, in coherence with the weight of the agri-food sector in their respective economies, although territories such as Navarra, Murcia, La Rioja, Castilla-La Mancha or Galicia also stand out, where food production, the agri-food industry and gastronomy are key axes of economic and social development.

A meeting to connect talent

Today, June 10, the members of this new list meet in a day at Basque Culinary Center, where they will share their projects, ideas, and concerns through different dynamics. Through round tables, presentations, project presentation rounds and creative workshops, the event will bring together these 40 young professionals who are transforming the primary sector with innovative, sustainable and strongly rooted proposals.

The day will address key issues such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence in agriculture, the challenges of climate change, female leadership in the agro field or the evolution of consumption habits. In addition, there will be a round of presentation of outstanding projects, inspiring presentations such as that of the Cañitas Maite restaurant, and a creative workshop with floral artist David Mola. The meeting will conclude with the official delivery of distinctions to the 40 young people selected for Impulso Agro 2025, recognizing their role as drivers of change in the sector.