Youth
Investing in rural youth unlocks the potential to strengthen food systems, boost rural economies, and expand opportunities for sustainable agriculture. Read more, including some key resources and latest news.
Context
Youth play a crucial role in food systems. Yet, engaging youth in agriculture and food systems faces multiple interconnected challenges. Many young people perceive farming as low-income, labor-intensive, and low-status, leading to declining interest in rural livelihoods. Limited access to land, finance, inputs, technology, and markets constrains their ability to start or scale agribusinesses. Skills gaps, inadequate education and training in modern, digital, and sustainable agriculture, and weak integration of youth perspectives in policy and decision-making further limit opportunities. These challenges drive rural youth to migrate to cities or abroad in search of better opportunities. This trend contributes to the emerging phenomenon of over-urbanisation and the increase in unemployment in urban areas, while threatening global food security, as agricultural workforce decreases in regions where it is most needed.
To engage youth effectively, interventions should combine access, capacity-building, and incentives, and should involve:
- ensuring equitable access to resources, expanding youth-friendly finance, credit, land, and input access
- investing in education, vocational training and digital skills in agriculture, technology, finance, and health
- supporting agripreneurship through incubators, mentorship, and market linkages
- strengthening the social protection system and enhancing the attractiveness of work in the agri-food sector,
- developing enabling policies and strengthening youth participation in governance and decision-making
- supporting community approaches and youth-led organisations.
Integrating gender-sensitive approaches further ensures that opportunities are inclusive and sustainable, enabling youth to become active drivers of resilient and innovative food systems.
Key Resources
Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems (policy recommendations)
High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security, 2021
World Food Forum: Resources
Various resources available focused on youth education, youth leadership in food systems, and thematic priorities
Young Professionals for Agricultural Development - YPARD
