Young and curious: Dhira Narayana (left), cofounder of Kebun Kumara, explains to a group of students about his 300-square-meter “educational garden”.(Courtesy of Kebun Kumara)Despite Indonesia struggling to achieve food self-sufficiency, farming continues to haemorrhage the young blood it desperately needs if the country’s agricultural sector is to regain its past glory.

The government and other stakeholders realize the need to change the negative perception, especially among millennials, about farming being a back-breaking, lowly paid job that promises no bright future.

A group of activists from various organizations concerned about the decline in agriculture have begun trying to turn the situation around and make agriculture and agribusiness more attractive for younger people.

To start with, they have selected 30 applicants who convinced the recruiters of ...