Indonesia's roadmap targets young farmers to strengthen food security

The Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs has formulated a comprehensive roadmap to support the generational renewal of Indonesia's agricultural workforce by capitalizing on the nation's demographic bonus. Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced the initiative during an online discussion on food self-sufficiency held from South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, emphasizing that education will serve as the core bridge and foundation for generational renewal.

Nurofiq highlighted the importance of introducing agriculture to younger generations starting from elementary school to help nurture a new crop of farmers capable of reinforcing national food security. Getting young people interested in agriculture is considered crucial, especially given the pressing demographic hurdles facing the country's rural sector over the past decade.

Statistical data shows a clear decline in the farming population, dropping from 31.71 million farmers in 2013 to 29.34 million a decade later. Furthermore, young people accounted for only 21.93 percent of the entire agricultural workforce in 2023, creating a demographic gap that officials say cannot be regarded as normal or ignored without risking long-term food security.

Human resource development has been designated as one of the five vital pillars of the agricultural sector, alongside land availability, seed quality, fertilizer access, and modern technology. With roughly 67 percent of Indonesia's population currently of working age, the government remains optimistic about successfully rejuvenating the agricultural workforce through targeted structural policies.

Under President Prabowo Subianto's administration, the government has already implemented various steps to establish a supportive environment for farming communities. These include targeted policies designed to guarantee fair agricultural commodity prices that benefit both primary producers and everyday consumers across the country.