PELAKITA.ID – Indonesia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), hosted the Farmers’ Regeneration Summit in Jakarta on Monday, December 22, marking the conclusion of the Cool Agripreneur programme, a joint initiative aimed at empowering young Indonesians in innovative farming systems and agripreneurship.
The summit opened with the launch of the Cool Agripreneur learning module, an age-appropriate curriculum designed to guide young people from farm to table.
The module covers mapping local agrobiodiversity and market demands, adopting eco-friendly and tech-driven farming, processing crops into value-added products, and establishing their own agribusinesses.
It has been implemented with 100 young participants aged 17-35 across Indonesia, many of whom have become agripreneurs.
Another module launched was the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance guide to agriculture for children aged 7-17, adapted for Indonesia with support from the World Food Forum Indonesian national chapter.
Policy Brief Highlights Youth Engagement in Agriculture
During the summit, FAO handed over a policy brief to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to support evidence-based decision-making for farmers’ regeneration and Indonesia’s food self-sufficiency goals.
According to 2023 Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data, nearly 80% of farmers are 40 years or older, while about half of unemployed Indonesians are youth aged 15-29.
The brief emphasizes cross-sectoral collaboration to provide young farmers access to capital, land, and cooperative development.
“Farmers regeneration is a cross-generational and cross-sectoral issue. The Ministry of Youth and Sports believes that youth’s involvement in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors must be encouraged through an entrepreneurial, innovative, and leadership approach,” said Esa Sukmawijaya, Deputy Assistant for Global Youth Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“This aligns with the national development agenda and efforts to pursue inclusive economic growth.“
Practical Training in Sustainable Farming
Beyond classroom modules, the Cool Agripreneur programme has developed smart and semi-intensive farming models, as well as permaculture systems in Jakarta and Lampung, offering hands-on platforms for young people to learn innovative and sustainable agricultural practices.
“We hope to promote more job opportunities for the younger generation in the agricultural sector. The Cool Agripreneur programme has changed participants’ perceptions of the traditional farmers’ image, enabling them to envision themselves as dynamic entrepreneurs within a modern agricultural sector,” said Rajendra Aryal, FAO Representative in Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Cross-Sectoral Dialogue and Cooperative Strengthening
The summit, supported by the Indonesian Consortium for Cooperatives Innovation (ICCI) and youth organization Warga Muda, also hosted a policy dialogue underscoring the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration in promoting youth engagement in agrifood systems.
Speakers ranged from ministry officials and lawmakers to community and private sector representatives. A coaching clinic provided young agripreneurs with practical guidance on cooperative management and fundraising strategies.
“Cooperatives and economic institutions are the backbone of farmer regeneration. Strengthening cooperatives can be a strategic instrument to ensure the sustainability of farming businesses and the bargaining power of young farmers in the agrifood systems,” said ICCI Managing Director Anis Saadah.
Launched in 2024 under FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) modality, the Cool Agripreneur initiative aims to attract young Indonesians to agripreneurship, supported by the government, the National Scouts Movement, and the National Leadership Council of the Indonesian Farmers Union (HKTI).
The programme was first proposed by Indonesia’s delegation at the 2023 World Food Forum (WFF) at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, and received full backing from FAO Director-General QU Dongyu.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2075449/fao-indonesia-promote-youth-led-agripreneurship-at-farmers-regeneration-summit