The agricultural sector can only be motivated if the right price is paid for agri-produce. This can be done if Governments establishes produce buying points in agricultural communities and thereby cutting out brokers and middlemen who most often reap the largest of the farmers profit

It is important to define precisely who is considered as a farmer, especially when comparing statistics between countries and continents. For example, part-time farming is increasingly frequent in small-scale Asian farms.

Besides the lack of respect for food, I would argue that education for place and agrarianism has been lacking in curricula, at every level of instruction. Only a very small percentage of schools (e.g.: Waldorf schools) and colleges (mainly privates) may offer an education that is geared towards rediscovering the beauty and needs of sustaining food systems with a new generation of farmers. All this however, remains hard to "sell" to the Y and Z generation for set of values and also world view envisioned by a majority of these young folks that may not clearly understand the connections of farming systems to ecosystems and the compelling need to conserve these for insuring a future for all.

The media are probably making a crisis of something that is not a crisis, even in South Africa. Statistics about the age of farmers are very scares but I managed to got hold of the client profile of a large ag-business in South Africa and wrote an article about it, unfortunately in Afrikaans. But here are some key findings:

The average age of the 2106 individuals was 55 years and distributed as follows:

COUNT 2106

AVE 55

MIN 19

MAX 75

MED 56

89 70 11%

I hope you can make sense of the table. The major problem in determining age is that in South Africa more and more farming enterprises are now structured in companies or trusts that does not reflect age. The succesors are being accommodated within these structures and are therefore not being counted. Point is, in South Africa at least, young (well qualified) farmers are alive and well!

I would have liked to share the whole article with you but as mentioned it is only available in by own language, Afrikaans.

1- La formation de courtes durées diversifiées et répétitives permettent d'améliorer les connaissances des agriculteurs ce qui les aide à prendre confiance et à s'impliquer davantage. 2- l'intervention de l'Etat pour soutenir les prix et garantir un revenu decent. 3- Développer les coopératives agricoles pour minimiser l'intervention des intermédiaires.

The question and alarming context that you bring are a real issue that truly needs to be addressed. To extend the discussion, I would like to rephrase it as: how can the agricultural sector be more attractive/appealing to the new/younger generation?

Of course, background education (including values) and satisfactory financial compensation are two motivations to keep Y and Z generations in the agricultural sector. Yet, in addition that people tend globally to move to cities, I think agricultural/farming tasks are still seen as very hard/tough ones, which is not completely untrue.

On the other hand, I do believe that with proper communication, the future of agricultural sector could be more appealing for new generations with both the integration and use of new technologies (telematic systems, real-time management/monitoring of the crops, self-driving/autonomous machines, etc.), as well as the reward of doing something meaningful (sustainable food production).

As a side note, it is funny this question popped up as a RG recommendation after I had a similar discussion with an environmental manager from an agricultural equipment manufacturer a few days ago.

In the context of its G20 presidency, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development carried out a survey amongst 10,000 youth in rural areas of 11 African countries, asking them under which conditions they would stay. 52 % were still undecided whether to leave rural areas and move to the city or stay. 72 % said that better education and jobs would make them stay, finding jobs in government and agriculture most attractive. Agriculture only if it uses better technology, fair pay and improved reputation within society. Only 3 % didn't consider agriculture to be attractive at all. So maybe it's not only about changing young peoples viewpoints but also about creating opportunities and favourable frame conditions.

You may find the surveys results in the conference documentation on page 52 https://www.bmz.de/en/publications/type_of_publication/information_flyer/flyer/Conference_Documentation_OneWorld_NoHunger.pdf.

During the conference there was also a so called "Rural Future Lab" where almost 100 young change makers from all over the world, including Europe, were invited to Berlin, young people that started businesses, organized cultural activities etc. - somehow made a difference in rural areas. They discussed one week prior to the conference on what worked in their different contexts and gave policy recommendations. Results are in the same documentation starting on page 41.

Perhaps inspiring in some way :)

D'une manière générale j'approuve les recommandation de Julia Reimers. Et, j' ajouterais que parmi les conditions favorables qui encourageraient les jeunes à s'impliquer dans l'activité agricole est l’accessibilité au foncier agricole. . L' indisponibilité du foncier agricole ou la difficulté d'y accéder rend difficile l'accès à l'activité agricole.

I'am 23 years old. On my opinion, agriculture is passion for the people who loves a plant, for me as personal.. i love plant, thats why my friends call me planters.. how to motivated?? I don't really know that, may you should tell them to love a nature, cause the Green leaf can Warm my heart.. so i call that a passion

This is based on the current date of collected data based on evidence! For example here, in Ethiopia, average age of farmers stay in the agriculture is not more than 50. Based on this we have collected data at the write time research is done accordingly. Actually, age and experience are endoginity for each other, have high impact on agriculture basically!

Dear, The one who creates motivation among young people is to seduce them physically and morally, and to provide an environment that suits their orientations and ambitions

dear haji

Dear countries where agricultural investment is weak, profitable enterprises are able to attract The vanguard of youth to work within these projects because the agricultural sector was not the strongest competitor to attract young people.

the economic factor is the best attractive one for any young person. As long as agriculture is the lowest income source, not much will be attracted to such sector.

Investment and education in agriculture in developed agricultural countries like the Netherlands are much higher compared to developing countries. Unless the social and economic evaluations are changed to the agricultural sector, don't expect many young people will join it.

Il faut d'abord adopter une politique claire et franche qui encouragerait les jeunes à s'intéresser davantage à l'activité agricole. Ensuite, il faut faire des études-diagnostic par région pour identifier les contraintes spécifiques et y remédier progressivement.

Il faut d'abord une volonté politique.

In a country where the facilities such as conducive environment, credit, availability of subsidized agricultural equipment and tools are not available, youths in such country would not be interested in agriculture. Therefore, youths would be motivated and willing to participate in agriculture if all the facilities mentioned above are provided.

Il faut une volonté politique mais aussi des institutions de développement de l'agriculture qui ont une capacité d'agir sur la réalité agricole dans sa complexité (environnement, humain, financier,...)

Your discussion topic is very much needed yet, it is very complex. Young people may be interested in agriculture however, their reluctance into embarking in this life style may have to do with several factors and these are:

- Access to land

-Hardship of living in rural communities as services are minimal, or non existent

-Challenge to be able to male a living by working solely in agriculture

-Agriculture education which is mostly preparing students for career in agribusiness

I think that a political will and governmental support (as Faouzi Bouchaib indicated) to provide easy access to land and restoring services in rural cpmmunities (schools, health services, etc.) youth could be more enthused to go in agriculture. In the US programs in agroecology, food systems, environmental studies appear to be attractive to students interested in agriculture. Much more than the typical curricula in the agricultural sciences offered by land grant universities. The world is changing fast and agriculture as a multifunctional human activity has taken directions that were not available a few years ago (urban agriculture, agritourisms, vertical faming, permaculture). These forms of alternative agriculture are of great interest to Y and Z generation in the US.