How to Make Agritech Attractive for Youths

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It would be cliche to mention how rapidly agritech is transforming agriculture. However, due to the world population explosion, this transformation couldn’t have come at a better time. To harness the power of agritech, we must ensure that it is run by capable hands. It must be run by tech-savvy people who live and breathe tech and are more adaptive to its dynamic nature.

Statistically, the world boasts of about 1.2 billion young people – 16% of the global population. If 1% of that number were actively involved in agritech, the potential would be massive as there would be more solutions in the market. The upfront cost of these technologies could take a nosedive, and eventually, production costs will reduce while productivity skyrockets. 

But enough fantasy. We must act now if there is any chance to turn the fantasy into a reality. We must hurriedly find ways to pique youth interest in agritech to combat issues like climate change, among others.

It would be normal to focus on long-term sustainable solutions to these problems. But what happens to the present? What happens to our food systems if we don’t act decisively? While planning for the long term (through catching youths young or incorporating agritech in education curriculum) is a must, we must devise means to satisfy the present.

This article explores three short-term strategies to make agritech attractive to youths. 

Source: iStock

Strategies to Make Agritech Attractive to Youths

Agritech Fellowship

Fellowships help people feel connected through emotional support, which, in turn, promotes learning and growth. They also provide a platform where people with shared interests can converge to share ideas and values.

Initiating an agritech fellowship that brings together agritech founders, investors, and enthusiasts would be a game-changer for global agritech. While most fellowships focus on networking and increased visibility and credibility, agritech fellowships should focus on career advancement, funding opportunities, and, most importantly, skill enhancement to help youths refine their skills and talents.

To get the most out of this, it is important to consider two distinct people, especially in developing nations.

1. Youths with a background in agriculture who are interested in technology.
   
2. Others with a tech background who are interested in solving agricultural problems with their skills.

Incorporating these two categories in the fellowship and catering to their needs could boost our chances of making them fall in love with agritech. In the fellowship, they can be shown the fascinating world of agriculture and how technology simplifies things: How AI and IoT make automation seamless. How GPS and satellite technology aid precision, and how blockchain can be introduced in the livestock supply chain.

They can have a glimpse of areas where more solutions are needed. And with the right mental and financial support, they can go ahead to explore the vast potential of agritech with fire in their bellies.

Agritech Summits

Agritech summits around the world address issues like AI and robots, commercialisation pathways in agriculture, climate resilience and investing, etc.  These summits, such as the World Agri-tech Innovation Summit set to take place in March 2025 in San Francisco and the Animal AgTech Innovation Summit in Dallas in April 2025, serve as key platforms for policymakers, investors, and industry leaders to exchange ideas and showcase the latest advancements in agritech. However, while these summits drive industry discussions, they often lack a targeted approach to youth engagement and inclusion.

To truly make agritech attractive to young people, we must go beyond traditional panels and networking events. Instead, agritech summits should be redesigned to inspire, educate, and empower youths, helping them recognise the untapped potential within the sector.

A dedicated Youth Agritech Summit Series could serve as an incubator for young minds, focusing on:

• Unravelling Career Pathways: Many young people are unaware of how their technical skills—whether in software development, engineering, or business—can be applied to revolutionise agriculture. Summits should include career workshops, mentorship programs, and industry-led skill development sessions to bridge this gap.

• Hackathons and Innovation Challenges: To encourage hands-on participation, summits could feature global agritech hackathons, where young innovators tackle real-world agricultural problems using technology. These challenges should award prizes and offer incubation opportunities and seed funding for viable ideas.

• Investment and Startup Acceleration: Finance will no doubt be a limitation for startup agritech ventures. A dedicated youth agritech pitching stage at these summits—where investors, venture capitalists, and agribusiness leaders engage with young founders—could open doors to early-stage funding, partnerships, and mentorship.

• Regional and Global Collaboration: To maximise impact, these summits should be held simultaneously across different continents, ensuring localised relevance while maintaining a global perspective. Hosting regional editions in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas would allow for discussions tailored to unique agricultural and technological challenges.

To ensure sustainability, these summits should be backed by international organisations such as the FAO, IFAD, and the World Bank while also engaging regional agricultural ministries, private agritech firms, and academic institutions. 

Source: iStock

Agritech summits are a quick fix in an attempt to package agritech for youths. If we make them more youth-centric, solution-driven, and interactive, we can build an army of youths who see agriculture not as an outdated sector but as a high-tech industry with limitless potential.

Agritech Media Companies

We are in the information age, where the internet is the most powerful tool for shaping perceptions, spreading knowledge, and driving engagement. For many young people, career decisions and entrepreneurial pursuits are heavily influenced by the content they consume online. If we want more youths to see agritech as an exciting and viable sector, then agritech media companies must take a leading role in driving that conversation.

Agritech media companies like Agritech Digest serve as a bridge between traditional agriculture and modern technological innovations. They educate and inspire action by sharing success stories, opportunities, and trends in a way that resonates with young audiences. Their impact can be amplified through: 

1. Highlighting Opportunities for Young People

Many youths overlook agritech simply because they don’t know where to start. Media platforms can change this by regularly publishing:

• Scholarship and training programs for students interested in agritech.
  
• Competitions and funding opportunities for young agritech entrepreneurs.
  
• Internship and job openings in agritech firms and startups.
  
• Incubation and acceleration programs that help turn agritech ideas into viable businesses.

2. Showcasing Agritech Success Stories

Many young people aspire to build careers in tech, business, or media because they see role models thriving in those fields. The same principle applies to agritech; if the media consistently showcases young agripreneurs, agritech innovators, and climate-smart farmers who are making an impact, more youths will see agritech as a space to succeed.

3. Leveraging Digital Content Formats That Resonate with Youths

To capture the interest of young audiences, agritech media must embrace diverse content formats beyond traditional articles. These include:

• Short-form videos (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) explaining agritech concepts in an engaging way.
  
• Podcasts and interviews with young agritech entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers.
  
• Infographics and visual storytelling to simplify complex agritech innovations.
  
• Interactive webinars and Twitter Spaces for discussing agritech trends in real-time.

4. Addressing Climate and Social Issues in Agriculture

Many young people are passionate about climate change, sustainability, and food security. Agritech media companies can tap into this passion by showing how agritech solutions, such as precision farming, AI-driven crop monitoring, and regenerative agriculture, can solve pressing global challenges.

5. Building Online Communities for Young Agritech Enthusiasts

Engaging young people in agritech goes beyond sharing information—it requires creating interactive communities where they can connect, collaborate, and grow. Agritech media companies can:

• Establish forums and social media groups where young people can exchange ideas and opportunities.
  
• Create mentorship programs pairing young innovators with experienced agritech professionals.
  
• Launch youth-led columns and blogs where aspiring agritech enthusiasts can share their perspectives.

Conclusion

Agritech is already breaking boundaries in Agriculture. However, the current population growth rate means we must intensify efforts to produce food. The answer to the dilemma of producing sufficient agritech solutions lies in selling agritech to the youths as an area worth venturing into. 

While there may be a few strategies (both long and short-term) to achieve this, we must work on multiple fronts. As long-term planning gets underway, we must adopt medium to short-term strategies to make agritech attractive to youths.