New Report Urges Shift in Agricultural Focus to Attract Youth, Secure Food Systems
WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 18,2025 – A new analysis by Maximo Torero calls for a essential reimagining of agricultural career paths to engage young people and bolster global food security. The report argues that customary farming is losing appeal to younger generations and proposes steering them toward burgeoning off-farm opportunities within the food system, including processing, packaging, distribution, and agricultural technology.
The shift is driven by urbanization, technological advancements, and growing demand for locally sourced food. Examples highlighted include the rise of “urban farm markets,” as seen in emerging models, and initiatives like Kuapa Kokoo, Ghana’s leading cocoa farmer cooperative, which is investing in domestic processing facilities to increase producer and worker incomes.
In vietnam’s Mekong Delta, a critical rice-producing region, young people increasingly favor careers in agricultural services, extension, research, and agribusiness over manual farm labor. This trend is being supported by the growth of agri-tech startups, such as Techcoop, which recently secured $70 million in Series A funding, to connect smallholder farmers and cooperatives to financing and export markets.
The report emphasizes the importance of digital solutions for small producers. In Croatia, specialized software is automating logistics and accounting for short supply chains, allowing farmers to focus on production. Similarly, a low-cost smartphone app in Colombia is linking citrus growers with agronomists and merchants to improve crop quality and market access. Across Africa, platforms connecting farmers to equipment (like Hello Tractor) and buyers (like m-farm) are gaining traction, particularly given that processing and logistics already account for 40% of the farm-to-market chain.
Torero’s analysis stresses that expanding these opportunities will provide higher-paying, skills-based employment for young people in both rural and urban areas. He advocates for policymakers to equip younger generations with the necessary digital and other skills to modernize farming and build lasting agribusinesses, citing the need to engage young people in agriculture and food systems to both create jobs and ensure global food security, as recognized in recent FAO reports.
