Empowering the next gen of ag leaders through tech

Technology is often touted as the savior of much of the world’s current challenges, and agriculture is no exception. Yet despite a rise in agritech, two dual challenges emerge in the sector: the declining interest from the younger generation, and perplexing productivity stagnation. Just as the average farmer reaches 58 years old and only 6% of growers fall under 35, according to the National Young Farmers Coalition, multiple sectors are seeing significant decreases in labor productivity: a 2.5% decrease in manufacturing labor productivity as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The allure of knowledge-driven careers, promising lucrative returns, threatens to sideline traditional sectors like agriculture. If we are to truly empower the ag sector with technology, it must be made to engage a new generation of workers, while also creating better conditions and productivity of workers.