Youth play a vital role in the successful transformation of farming in India. The younger generation will be interested in taking the farming as a profession only if farming becomes both economically and intellectually attractive. The rural population is about 70%, and the indications are that the migration of rural youth to cities is around 45% in the country, which is quite alarming. Attracting and retaining youth in agriculture is critical for Indian Agriculture as India is losing more than 2,000 farmers every single day since 1991, the overall number of farmers has dropped by 15 million. Role of young farmers, as both drivers and agents of change in agriculture needs to be recognized and emphasized. Most of the innovations require skilled and well trained young farmers with enthusiasm and passion for farming and ability to take risks. Capitalizing young people in the agricultural sector is crucial in improving agricultural productivity, food security and the economy

Agriculture, Attract and Retain youth, Migration, youth in farming

Evidence from several sources points to growing youth disinterest in farming. The immense workforce of youth presently available in the country can be engrossed with careful alteration in the present mechanism of this sector alone. This automatically will contribute for resolution of the crisis of both, youth unemployment and migration. What is currently needed is formulation of appropriate policies and strategies for attracting and retaining young people in this sector so that Indian agriculture can experience a new stature in the hands of young and enthusiastic farmers

Sireesha Pulla and P.R. Nisha (2024). Initiatives to Attract and Retain Youth in Farming. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 16(6): 143-147