Planting Hope: Children Learn to Love Farming
The world is facing a farmer regeneration crisis
Fewer and fewer young people are interested in becoming farmers
Planting Hope: Children Learn to Love Farming
The world is facing a farmer regeneration crisis—fewer and fewer young people are interested in becoming farmers. In Indonesia, the number of farmers continues to decline each year, and the average age is rising. In 2013, the total number of farmers in the country was 31.70 million. Today, that number has dropped to 29.34 million—down by 7.45%. Among those currently working as farmers, the majority are over 43 years old. Meanwhile, only 26.10% are millennials (aged 27–42), and just 2.30% come from Gen Z.
To spark a love for agriculture from an early age, the TAU network, led by Devi Wahyuningtyas, piloted an educational activity at MI Almansur, Bojonegoro, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The event, themed “Farming is Fun and Enjoyable”, was attended by 42 first to third-grade students.
"If you’re a teacher, parent, community member, or anyone eager to help children explore the world of farming in a fun and engaging way—we welcome collaboration!."
The activity began with a discussion about their breakfast—rice, vegetables, and more. The children were guided to realize that everything on their plate comes from the hands of farmers. They then learned what plants need to grow: water, sunlight, soil, and care. To close the session, the children prepared planting media and sowed seeds into polybags, which they will continue to care for. This is just the beginning—similar sessions will follow so the children can experience growing their plants from seed to harvest.
Through this simple but meaningful activity, the children not only played—they also learned that every bite of food comes from a long process: finding good seeds, nurturing them with soil, water, and sunlight, and finally harvesting.
Piloted an educational activity
Let’s plant hope together—one small activity, one new generation of farmers.