Taking over different roles for effective youth engagement in agriculture

At Rikolto, the question ‘What will we eat tomorrow?’ is at the core of our work. One specific aspect of this question is ‘Are we still going to have farmers, not only in terms of the workforce but also people who have sufficient knowledge of both agriculture and technology and who are skilled in transferring this knowledge to future generations?

Can they keep up with developing technologies, develop farming in innovative ways and develop systems that will yield more harvest with less labour?

The answer to these questions will determine our future. Why should we ask these questions and how can we transform the answers to ‘yes’?

The youth population in the world and the average age of those involved in farming are increasing. According to United Nations estimates, there are about 1.2 billion young people aged between 15 and 24. This is equivalent to 16% of the global population. It is also estimated that young people in the poorest countries will increase by 62% by 2050 and these young people are competing with each other to settle in urban areas that they consider to have more livable conditions, because the agricultural image that sticks in their minds is to start working before sunrise, returning to their home hours after sunset, and not earn enough money for all this labour so that they cannot even afford to live until the end of the month.

Our farmers, the future of our food, are often reluctant to pass on their professions to future generations because of these difficulties.

To prevent ageing in agriculture and to draw more young people into the food sector, one of our focuses might be to transfer information to young people not only on farming but also on climate change and sustainable development that are directly related to this. In the last few years, sustainable development goals have come up in many ways. As mentioned frequently in various media channels, private companies and the public sector have started to share their contributions on their websites with annual sustainability reports. This is an opportunity to voice our concerns on the agri-food sector by drawing the attention of young people to climate change and sustainable development goals. This doesn’t mean creating a hopeless image but rather creating awareness of the future of farming by relating it to these topics.

There are many ways to engage with the young generation. These solutions should not be considered separately but using a holistic approach.

Using digital platforms effectively is crucial to reach out to young people. It is a well-known fact that the use of social media is rapidly increasing among almost all young people, regardless of continent. Monitoring previous projects through digital platforms plays an effective role in sharing experiences and stories to attract young people's attention.

Stories about rural life and agriculture are always inspiring. It takes real stability and ambition to work for hours every day and do this for the rest of one’s life. Rikolto supports young farmers and young entrepreneurs around the world to rewrite these challenging stories. With our support, we bring meaning to what they do and promote innovations. Reducing the workforce and creating sustainable supply chains through innovations ensures that farming as a profession has a future and provides an adequate livelihood. Not only do we provide a fair income for farmers, but we also give them time back. Imagine these ambitious people finishing their daily work in 8 hours instead of 16 hours - in the time saved one can go to school, learn a new language, and expand one’s network overseas.

When it comes to innovation, it would be wrong to talk about the changes that can only be achieved by using high-cost technologies. A group of young innovators developing a new business model for ecological transformation is another story to be told regarding innovation.

The image of the agricultural sector and the awareness of its challenges trigger the young generation's decision not to move forward in this field. We can encourage young people who want to advance in agriculture by destroying this bad image by making the projects carried out jointly by private companies and non-governmental organisations more visible with a brand new approach. What should this approach be? Do not focus on failures - instead focus on the positive impacts of the projects and opportunities with concrete examples.

What we have learned so far is that even the smallest steps we take appear as success stories or lessons learned in the future. Our approach in communication is to be the source of inspiration in collaboration with young people for other organisations. As Rikolto continues to pioneer more projects and promote more initiatives, the number of stories to be told will increase, as well as the young people involved.

Investment and public spending on agriculture are low and finance is difficult to come by for young people, let alone for young women. In common perceptions, agriculture is still closely linked with poverty. In these circumstances, guiding and supporting young people is crucial. This way, they can create innovative start-ups in the agri-food sector, not only generating a good income for them but also contributing to the sustainability of the food system.

If we provide this support to the current farmers or food-related businesses, people will want to pass this future on to the next generations and a youth chain in agriculture will be established - a youth chain that makes our future more sustainable and fairer with each link we add.