By Alexandre Roberge
Agriculture led to a profound transformation of human societies. No longer did people have to travel miles to find food, they simply had to grow it in a given area. This led to the sedentarization and multiplication of human populations across the planet. Farming has never been a prestigious profession, yet no civilization has been able to do without it. You only have to look at the repercussions of years when harvests have failed to show the importance of the agricultural world.
Except that, today, agriculture no longer interests many people. For a start, because the work is hard and practically year-round, with no real opportunity for vacations. It has also been complicated by a food industry that demands high volumes, and by climate change, which greatly destabilizes production and yields. Whether it's an overabundance or lack of rainfall, the increased presence of pests in the fields, disrupted agricultural cycles or the multiplication of extreme events, the environmental situation does nothing to make farmers' work any easier.
Young people flock to agricultural technologies
And yet, while a few years ago the next generation of farmers seemed to be in peril, the current picture is less dramatic. It's not yet an ideal situation, but, against all odds, many young adults are keen to take over family production or even start up in the agri-food industry.
Why is this? Agricultural technology (agtech) undoubtedly has something to do with it. We now know that machines are radically improving in the agricultural world. The emergence of drones enables landowners to monitor their fields without having to walk over vast expanses. Applications and software are multiplying and facilitating the work of farmers, who can quickly and easily analyze soil hydration, fertilizer levels, forecast the weather ahead, and so on.
The link with youth? Their adoption of these technologies is far greater than that of their elders. Because the farming world has always been open to techniques that simplify life, but when they use means that are more technological than natural, mistrust increases. This survey of Chinese farmers shows that the state-led modernization of 2023 was viewed with some skepticism. In fact, respondents said it was important for them to be shown that it will bring tangible benefits and really make their lives easier, rather than adding tasks. Young people, meanwhile, are already seeing the potential of agtech in their farming methods and daily lives.
Among young American farmers, for example, the use of technology to pay bills, check weather forecasts or ensure they reduce the ecological footprint of their activities is clearly on the rise compared to their counterparts over 40. Analyses of the potential for, or adoption of, precision farming show that young people, whether established or just starting out in agriculture, are far more interested than their elders.
Source : cursus.edu