Slovakia lost more than a fifth of its farms in four years.
The country had about 25 600 farms in 2016 and 19 928 in 2020. The managers who remain are aging: 47% are over 55, and only 20% are under 40.
The soil is in poor shape too. More than 700 000 hectares are compacted, and water has eroded a further 576 000. April 2026 was the driest April since records began in 1881. By early May, 60% of the country was short of soil moisture.
A student-led initiative aiming to improve soil health, agroforestry and soil monitoring with farm cooperatives in eastern Slovakia.
How we work
Solvena supports the Sustainable Development Goals.
The work supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land).
On the Ground
In June 2026 we interviewed four cooperatives and one family winery in the Vranov nad Topľou district. The four cooperatives farm 5 670 hectares between them.
Prešov
Prešov has Slovakia's highest unemployment, about 10.6%, and youth unemployment of up to about 20%. All five of our interviews so far took place here, in the Vranov nad Topľou district, across 5 670 hectares.
Košice
Eastern Slovakia. Farming shares the regional economy with metallurgy and forestry, and drought risk is rising. We plan to expand to farms here in 2028.
Banská Bystrica
Central Slovakia. Upland and forested, with a lot of pasture and lower-intensity farming than the rest of the country. The land suits agroforestry, grazing under trees and herb growing. No fieldwork here yet.
Žilina
Northern Slovakia. Mountainous, with smaller holdings, livestock and grassland. The openings here are grassland carbon, livestock integration, and farm tourism and education. No fieldwork here yet.
From the farm interviews | translated from Slovak
“We should test at least once every two years, but the most recent soil results we have now are from last year, and maybe in five years we'll have the next ones…”
“…I'd say the soil is harder to work. More and more so, because there's less rainfall.”
Vranov nad Topľou district, June 2026
Who we are
Solvena is run by two students. One of us grew up in the district where we work. Solvena was started by Eloise E. Olden and Laura M. Demčáková, two students in Prague. The two of them held every farm interview together, in Slovak, on the farms.
Eloise E. OldenCo-founder
Eloise grew up around farm work, from ranching in Texas to living on a small organic farm in Portugal.
Laura M. DemčákováCo-founder
Laura grew up in a village in the Vranov nad Topľou district, among the farmland we study, and has watched development there stall. She cares about the land in her region and knows Slovak agricultural history well.
Get involved
We are looking for partner farms, students and anyone else interested.