An Agricultural Career through the Lens of Young People

Abstract

The lack of young people engaged in agriculture threatens future food security and social balance. The agricultural sector and rural areas are experiencing an aging demography. The data confirm the global historical trend of a shortage of young people deciding to pursue careers in agriculture and remaining in rural spaces. Understanding young people’s views on agriculture is the key to supporting their participation in the sector by examining the unattractive factors that influence their perceptions. This study aims to explore these factors through a literature review of the past 10 years, applying the PRISMA model. We used VOSviewer to identify the key elements linked in a co-word map and revealed four clusters that mainly influence young people’s perceptions. The reviewed papers are from developed and developing countries, as our approach seeks to transcend the national boundaries that often delimit analyses on generational renewal. The study brings out the common factors that affect youth’s choice in agriculture, highlighting their perceptions and aspirations. The discussions and conclusion aim to provide a different perspective to understand the decision-making process of young people toward an agricultural career.

Youth Engagement in Agribusiness: Perception, Constraints, and Skill Training Interventions in Africa: A Systematic Review

“…Eight studies [13,16,25,26,28,32,59,60] explored young individuals' perceptions of agriculture. Of these eight articles, four papers [25,32,54,61] reported that young people had a favorable view of agriculture. According to these papers, young people perceived agriculture as a lucrative sector capable of offering job opportunities and serving as a means of sustenance.…”

“…Four studies [49,61,62,65] looked at the issue of access to land as an essential determinant of young people's involvement in agribusiness. The land is an important farm input in agribusiness enterprises.…”