Agriculture has played a key role in the development of human civilization. Development of agricultural techniques has steadily increased agricultural productivity and widespread diffusion of these techniques has led to various agricultural revolutions. A remarkable shift in agricultural practices was observed in the last century in response to new technologies. However, the modern face of agriculture will confront many challenges in the coming years. With available resources, our young agri-professionals will face a major challenge of global food insecurity.

Accordingly, they will have to utilize their skills in an exceptional manner. The human resource development particularly young professionals must ensure: (a) effective communication of science in agriculture, (b) integration of social media in agriculture, (c) promotion of agriculture as a career path, and (d) a networking to influence national agenda. While agriculture needs to address these complex problems by focusing resources on youth development needs, such an initiative should also aim at communicating a more positive image of agriculture to young people and reaching and creating a larger pool of youth through high school agriculture, and related agriculture literacy programs for youth, guidance counsellors, science teachers, parents, and policymakers.

This document encrypting the proceedings of the two-day National workshop on Foresight and Future Pathways of Agricultural Research Through Youth in India. The workshop has come out with useful recommendations and suggestions that we need to mainstream in the ongoing efforts of the Indian Agricultural Research System so as to ensure agricultural growth vis-a-vis food security in the country.

Foresight and Future Pathways Youth 2013 (3479 downloads)