Global Agriculture Faces Youth Exodus Crisis
A significant shift is underway in the global agriculture sector. In Latin America, 1.2 million young people are expected to leave agriculture by 2030, while in Europe, the rural youth population has already shrunk by 1.7 million between 2013 and 2019. This exodus is happening as the average age of farmers in developed countries approaches 60.
Policy measures are being implemented to address this trend. Germany and the European Union have introduced climate adaptation laws, reduced regulatory burdens, strengthened the internal market, created investment unions, and invested in education and skills development to modernize agriculture and agribusiness. However, the appeal of farming remains low for young people. In the Mekong Delta, few young people want to work the fields, preferring agricultural services, extension, and research, as well as agribusiness. This is not an isolated issue. In Kenya, youth agricultural employment fell from 58.9 per cent in 1990 to 28.5 per cent in 2020. In Africa, where people under 25 comprise about 60 per cent of the population, around one-third of those aged 15 to 35 are unemployed. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, rural youth comprised only around 7 per cent of the total population in 2020, down from about 16 per cent in 1950. Young people in the developing world continue to flee rural areas for higher-paying, higher-status work in cities and foreign countries.
The global agriculture sector is facing a significant challenge in retaining and attracting young people. With 1.2 billion people aged 15 to 24 making up 16 per cent of the world's population, this issue is pressing. Policy measures and modernization efforts are underway, but more needs to be done to make agriculture an attractive career choice for the next generation.
