Chapter-20: Youth Engagement and Digital Agriculture in India

The agricultural sector in India is experiencing a radical change due to digital technologies providing fresh prospects to tackle an old issue of low productivity, market inefficiencies, and climate susceptibility. Here juvenile participation is seen as extremely important in reviving agriculture and making it sustainable. Since a considerable percentage of the Indian population consists of the young people, their adoption into digital agriculture can further lead to a faster rate of innovation, increased returns to the farm, and a decrease in rural unemployment. This chapter discusses how the use of digital tools, such as mobile applications, precision farming technologies, artificial intelligence and e-marketing platforms can attract and empower young people in agriculture. It analyzes the effect of digital literacy, entrepreneurial orientation, and information access in helping young farmers to embrace climate-smart farming, enhance decision-making, and enhance linkages in the value chain. Another important issue that emerges in the research is the digital divide, poor infrastructure, insufficient access to finance and shortage of skills which prevent proper participation by the youth. The chapter also speaks of policy priorities and institutional models to advance youth-led agripreneurship and digital inclusion in rural localities. Through studying the new trends and the lessons of the cases, it demonstrates the necessity of specific capacity-building initiatives, conducive ecosystems, and all-inclusive digital policy. As a conclusion of the study, it is concluded that the involvement of youths in agriculture by way of digital agriculture is necessary in attaining sustainable agricultural development, more food security and rural transformation in India.