Why young Filipinos turn away from farming

Agriculture in the Philippines is in serious trouble. The sector faces constant and wide-ranging threats, from extreme weather conditions like destructive typhoons to El Niño, alongside economic shocks such as oil price hikes and inflation. Yet perhaps its most chronic challenge is also the most overlooked—its aging and shrinking workforce. With the estimated average age of Filipino farmers at around 57 years old, the agricultural sector is struggling to attract the younger generation and thus threatening its future.

There is a common notion that young Filipinos, particularly those who are children of farmers, are turning their backs on agriculture due to the influence of modernity, fueled by the widespread use of social media and the rise of other forms of technology. It is often believed that Filipino Gen Zs, who reportedly spend more hours on these platforms than any other youth demographic in the world, are gradually losing interest in farming and following in the footsteps of their farmer parents. Instead, they have become disillusioned with the “unglamorous” realities of farming, having been captivated by the latest online trends and the seemingly more appealing lifestyles of online influencers.

But I think there is a much deeper structural reason underlying this youth disenchantment. As a social science researcher, I want to understand why many children of farming families are distancing themselves from agriculture. Through a systematic review of academic literature published over the last decade on Filipino farm children, I uncovered insights into how the younger generation of farming families truly views participation in agriculture.

Contrary to the common belief that they have simply lost touch with its value, many young people still regard farming as culturally and socially significant. But while these farm children acknowledge agriculture’s vital role in food security and national development, studies also reveal a sobering reality: their genuine interest in farming is often overshadowed by filial obligations and cultural expectations.

For children of farmers, who are often expected to follow in their parents’ footsteps, firsthand exposure to farm work can become a primary deterrent. The physical demands and grueling manual labor push them away from farming, compelling them to explore less physically demanding, nonfarming careers.

At the same time, fluctuating market prices and volatile input costs translate into low and unreliable incomes, further discouraging young people from considering agriculture as a viable or lucrative career path. In addition, their own parents often discourage them from continuing the family trade. While they teach their children the ropes of farming, these parents also instill in them the importance of pursuing college degrees to secure office jobs, which are increasingly viewed as the ultimate markers of success in our society nowadays.

This shows the inner conflict among children of Filipino farmers between the values and beliefs they have grown up with and the desire to pursue the more modern, stable, and financially rewarding careers that society encourages them to pursue.

However, they also navigate a society increasingly shaped by capitalist and neoliberal policies that foster a mindset focused on “investible” assets, such as education, skills, and networks, compelling them to continuously pursue better economic mobility rather than invest their time and effort in what is socially perceived as a “dead-end” job such as farming.

Yet the situation is not always bleak. There are also reasons why children of farming families might see farming as a potentially viable career for themselves. One striking finding is that the propensity to engage in agriculture tends to be higher among young people whose families own the land they cultivate. This is because land ownership eliminates their dependence on land leasing or sharecropping arrangements, which can place farmers in usurious and exploitative situations.

Furthermore, farming can also be financially rewarding, especially when market conditions are favorable, such as when input costs are low and farmgate prices are high. However, these favorable conditions are not as frequent, and more often than not, their families find themselves buried in debt. They see it as a fallback option when their other career plans do not work out or as a stepping stone toward their aspired careers.

Ultimately, existing studies suggest that farm children would be willing to engage in farming, but only under improved conditions. These include increasing government investment in infrastructure and modernization, reducing income inequality, and fostering stronger resilience against vulnerabilities. Once young people no longer see farming merely as a fallback or a last resort, but as a desirable and viable career path, there will be hope for the continuity of farming in this country.

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John Patrick P. Habacon is a graduate student of sociology and a social science professor at the Lyceum of the Philippines University-Laguna