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Rural Policy Rural policy aims for a vibrant and prosperous countryside which takes full advantage of its resources. According to the vision for rural policy rural areas are an integral element of the Finnish society and our success as a nation ru...

Rural areas A vibrant countryside is Finland’s strength. Rural Development Unit » Rural Development Unit. Rural development » A vibrant countryside is Finland’s strength. Rural proofing » The aim of rural proofing is to improve the quality of deci...

Rural proofing Finland is one of the most rural countries in the European Union. About 95% of the country’s surface area is classified as rural, and the permanent place of residence of almost a third of the population is in the rural areas. Circum...

21.9.2026 | More than 150 international visitors are expected to attend the Rural Pact Policy Action Lab event in Kotka on 29 September–1 October. This is the first time the Policy Action Lab is held outside Brussels. The focus of the event is on conditions that support a competitive and diversified rural economy and improve the attractiveness of rural areas.

Rural development networks Rural development falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry administers the EU-funded CAP Strategic Plan and is also responsible for national rur...

How is rural development supported? Rural development efforts are based on the different characteristics of different areas, skills and competence, collaboration and networking, sustainable development, and equal opportunities for different groups...

This Policy Action Lab will bring together the Rural Pact Community to reflect on how rural economies can be strengthened in the post-2027 EU policy framework.

Island policy Island policy is one of the oldest elements of organised regional policy in Finland. The Government appointed a long-term committee to address issues relating to islands as early as in 1949. Today’s island policy is based on the Isla...

Food and Agricultural Policy Food policy creates the preconditions for the competitiveness and diversity of primary production, food safety, security of supply, and the operation of the food industry in Finland. It also helps to promote welfare in...

Common Agricultural Policy, CAP The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) aims to develop agricultural production in the Community in a balanced way, taking into account environmental well-being and animal welfare and promoting the viability of ru...

17.9.2025 | “A living and attractive countryside is extremely important for farming and food production in the future. Farmers need a community, services, infrastructure and other entrepreneurs around them.” This is what Minister Sari Essayah said as she spoke at the EU’s Rural Pact Conference on Tuesday. Minister Essayah had been invited to speak about Finland’s experiences from the implementation of the implementat...

1.4.2026 | The For Forest Group+ of forested EU countries has again grown stronger as Germany joined the group at the meeting held in Sweden on 31 March–1 April. The topics discussed by the ministers included the EU Deforestation and LULUCF Regulations, the Birds Directive, and the development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.

2.12.2025 | The first evaluations have been published on the preliminary impacts and results of Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan. The evaluations analysed the results and impact achieved related to the entrepreneurial income and competitiveness of agriculture, animal welfare, the biodiversity of agricultural environments and emissions from agriculture. The evaluations also contain recommendations for developing the CAP Strategic Plan and the next policy period.

7.11.2025 | The UN Climate Change Conference COP30 will be held on 10–21 November in Belém, Brazil. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is organising four side events, where the focus will be on the circular bioeconomy, climate change adaptation and resilient food systems. Two of the events will be held at the Finland Pavilion and two at the Nordic Pavilion. Besides these, the Ministry will participate...

16.5.2025 | The Nordic Conference on Climate Change Adaptation (NOCCA 2025) on 14–15 May 2025 brought together 160 experts to Rovaniemi to share the most recent scientific knowledge and examples related to the preparation for climate risks.

12.3.2025 | The last projects of the Catch the Carbon package of climate measures ended at the end of 2024. The implementation of the knowledge and climate change resilient solutions produced in the package of 180 measures will continue and be further intensified through cooperation in different parts of the country. The processes to support this include the activities of the National Climate Unit of the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres).

The task of the parliamentary working group on sparsely populated areas is to monitor the special questions related to these areas and to strengthen their viability. The work is based on the proposals of the previous working group appointed for the period 2017–2019 and on the measures concerning the development of sparsely populated areas in the Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government.

Parliamentary working group on sparsely populated areas The Government appointed a parliamentary working group on 19 October 2023 to improve the conditions and opportunities in the sparsely populated areas of Finland. The term of the working group...

Just 1.4 euros a day for safe and sustainable food

Support for agriculture The agricultural support system consists of several support instruments. Based on the source of funding, the different forms of support can be divided into fully EU-funded direct payments, partly EU-funded support paid thro...