The ‘Cool Agripreneur’ Programme: Empowering the next generation of Indonesia’s agripreneurs

Indonesian farmers are ageing, and this spells a challenge for a country striving to sustainably feed what is currently the world’s fourth-largest population.

About 80% of Indonesian farmers are 40 years old and older according to 2023 Statistics Indonesia data. They are mostly small-holder farmers with limited access to knowledge and technology. Meanwhile, young people growingly shy away from the fields and opt for more lucrative urban jobs.

To address this challenge, a farmers’ regeneration programme called the Cool Agripreneur Programme (Petani Keren), was launched in 2024 by the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and the National Scout of Indonesia (Pramuka) with technical support from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

“Indonesia’s ballooning working-age population is a powerful force to advance the agrifood sector. It is still Indonesia’s top employer by number, employing 45 million people or almost a quarter of the workforce. Yet, challenges remain to make it more lucrative and attractive, especially for those aged 18-40,” said Idha Widi Arsanti, Chair of the Agricultural Extension and Human Resources Development Agency (BPPSDMP) of the Ministry of Agriculture.

She emphasized that unlocking this demographic potential requires a paradigm shift, from viewing agriculture as a fallback career to a dynamic and innovative enterprise. “Through initiatives like the Cool Agripreneur Programme, we aim to empower youth with the skills, mindset, and tools they need to thrive as agents of change in their communities and the wider agrifood systems,” she added.

The initiative was first raised by Indonesia’s delegation led by then-Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko at the 2023 World Food Forum (WFF), convened at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. During a bilateral meeting, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu committed to supporting Indonesia.

Within less than a year, that commitment has materialised into a capacity-building programme which targets a large number of young Indonesians across the country over the coming years. It offers them with intensive education and fieldwork on innovative end-to-end farming systems; beginning with mapping local market demands and adopting efficient and adaptative farming approaches to processing local crops into value-added products.

Rajendra Aryal, FAO Representative in Indonesia and Timor Leste explained, “The collaboration aims at nurturing not just more farmers – but more ‘cool’ farmers. The ones who are young, entrepreneurial and keeping up with the latest technologies.”

Aryal acknowledged that the agrifood sector has been long misconceived as outdated, menial and unprofitable. Yet, he has the confidence that creativity, innovations and problem-solving skills of the young generation will turn the tide for a sector so essential in bringing food to our plates every day.

Shifting perspectives

The recently concluded first batch of the programme gathered 38 scout members aged 18-30 years from Jakarta, Banten, West Java, and East Nusa Tenggara. One of the graduates is Putri Puspaningrum, 24, who leads KELAPA Agripreneur, the National Scout’s youth farming group in Jakarta. She appreciated how the training had exposed her to a wide range of the latest farming approaches.

"What was once seen as a less promising field now offers diverse career possibilities. I hope to also show these opportunities to young people in my hometown, Bogor, where many are trying hard to get jobs,” Putri said.

By incorporating her newly gained knowledge into the KELAPA Agripreneur’s curriculum, she aims to show that the agrifood systems can be an interesting sector to other scout members since early age. In Indonesia, many students from kindergarten to university levels are members of the scout network.   

The Cool Agripreneur Programme also introduces young people to smart farming, which integrates digital and adaptive technologies, as well as permaculture and semi-intensive farming. These approaches help them produce higher yields with reduced resources and environmental impact, thus leading to more profits. Models of these approaches, including greenhouses, have been developed at the Cool Agripreneur’s training hub. Located in Jakarta, the facility belongs to the National Scout and houses KELAPA Agripreneur.

Muhammad Abi Fata, 23, another graduate who owns an agribusiness start-up in Sukabumi of West Java, said limited access to markets was what drove his own farmer parents to discourage him from working in agriculture. But he believes that with the right innovations as shown in the programme, he could tap into better markets and transform businesses.

“Before the programme, my knowledge of agriculture was limited to on-farm activities. Now I’m equipped with knowledge and skills to develop business plans that maximize local crop potentials, such as moringa plants in Sukabumi,” Abi said.

Scaling up impact

To scale up its impact, the programme is set to engage more young Indonesians by expanding its training hub to Lampung on the island of Sumatera. This province is leading the national production of coconut, banana, rice and coffee, among many other highly profitable crops.

Graduates of the programme will also take part in the Indonesian Chapter of the World Food Forum (WFF). This independent, youth-led national network is affiliated with chapters in 20 other countries across the globe, which are facilitated by FAO. By continuing the exchange of ideas, knowledge and network, Indonesian ‘cool agripreneurs’ can continue fostering innovation and cross-country collaboration.