Chapter-25: Evidence-Based Literature Review and Research Synthesis

Digital technologies are transforming agriculture globally, and youth are the first to take up these technologies and the most important demographic group for the future of agriculture. This chapter draws on the results of 20 systematic searches from peer-reviewed literature to explore how young people interact with digital agriculture, the barriers to this interaction and the interventions that effectively span the chasm between the possibilities of technology and actual adoption. Based on studies in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Europe and the Pacific, this chapter examines the status and applications of digital tools, ranging from smart phones to social media, through to the Internet of Things (IoT), drones, artificial intelligence and block-chain, and their impact on youth engagement in agricultural value chains. The key findings highlight that access to ICTs could help drive up youth employment in agriculture by around 21%, community-based peer learning networks are as critical as access to ICTs, and social identity issues, such as the stigma attached to a low status career in farming, continue to be a significant obstacle. The chapter ends with a comprehensive policy and practice blueprint based on the Sustainable Development Goals to promote digital agricultural transformation with inclusiveness and youth leadership.