Marcos says tech critical to attracting younger farmers

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said advanced technology will be key to attracting the young to take up careers in agriculture, which he hopes will reverse the ageing trend among farmers.

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"Farmers asked me how we can encourage the youth to engage in agriculture," Mr. Marcos said on Sunday in a video posted on his social media accounts. "My answer is technology. Young people understand new technology."

The average age of Filipino rice farmers is 56 and climbing, and analysts have predicted a critical shortage of farmers in the next decade as young people show less interest in agriculture, undermining food security.

Among the initiatives cited by Mr. Marcos is the rollout of mobile soil laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art tools aimed at improving farm productivity. He said these facilities will help farmers adapt to soil conditions made worse by climate change.