- Youth are becoming essential intermediaries in farming communities, driving the adoption of digital tools and technologies among older farmers.
- Engaging young people in agriculture is critical to future-proofing the sector, especially as farming populations age across the Global South.
- The continued transformation and sustainability of agriculture depend on re‑engaging youth and making the sector attractive and viable for the next generation.
As digital tools become more central in agriculture, it is the youngest members of farming communities who are stepping into the role of digital intermediaries.
They have become key to translating technology for older farmers and drive adoption at the last mile.
“We believe youth is the main driving force behind any change, especially in agriculture… If we want technology to enter agriculture, we need to bring rural youth back into the sector,” said Ashutosh Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Modern Village Futures (MVF), an India-based agtech venture that works to bring technology to rural communities through its smart village centres.
With farming populations ageing across the world, the younger generation will define the sector’s future, serving as the bridge that helps farming communities adopt new technologies.
“The only way to future‑proof the sector is to cultivate interest from the youth early on, so they see agriculture as a viable and sustainable profession. Otherwise, they will choose other careers,” said JT Solis, CEO of Mayani, a Philippine agtech platform that connects smallholder farmers and fisherfolk to retailers and buyers.
Sharma and Solis will join AgTechNavigator’s webinar, Building buy‑in from farmers and the wider supply chain, on April 21 to unpack the realities of farmer adoption in the Global South.
The new intermediaries
Both agreed that any meaningful transformation depends on re‑engaging youth in agriculture.
“We also need to make agriculture cooler. Traditional agricultural education in India is very archaic and theoretical. It’s far removed from the rapid pace of technological development that could transform the sector,” said Sharma.
MVF trains young people who might otherwise overlook farming as a legitimate profession. These young trainees end up running rural tech innovation centres that serve as physical hubs for delivering services to farmers, blending digital support with in‑person assistance.
“We focus on giving youth the skills and exposure they need – not so much through formal programmes, but through short, crisp learning experiences that equip them quickly and spark interest. Through our delivery and education approach, we try to enable youth, train them, and build on what goes beyond conventional university education,” said Sharma.
The pattern is similar in the Philippines, where the farming population is also ageing.
Solis highlighted that unlike their forebears, the youth have a variety of channels where they can regularly access for information, education and entertainment.
“Their exposure to digital channels is a major advantage. We see the youth as digital translators – the bridge between modern and ancestral, technological and traditional.”
Across the cooperatives and farmers’ associations Mayani works with, older farmers—who hold deep knowledge of crops, seasons and local ecosystems—depend on younger farmers to interpret how digital technologies align with the realities of their fields.
“We rely on the younger farmers’ digital exposure and higher digital IQ to help introduce tech‑based solutions. When we bring in a new tool or platform, we tap the youth to support the older farmers and foster adoption. They bring fresh ideas, familiarity with digital channels, and the ability to translate technology into something practical for the community,” said Solis.
For deeper insights on agriculture in the Global South, check out our on-demand webinar Building buy‑in from farmers and the wider supply chain here. Registration is free.
