RANA Prize awardee explores generational renewal in Indonesian agriculture

Indonesia's increasing demand for rice, coupled with an aging farmer population, poses challenges to sustaining growth in production. The Food Estate project, initiated in 2020, aims to address these challenges through agricultural extensification and intensification programs. Adityanandana's research specifically examines the social production of aspirations that shape youth's decisions to become farmers.

Drawing insights from agrarian studies, his fieldwork will unpack socio-economic tensions in rural communities, particularly young people's challenges in accessing farmland. Additionally, the research will examine whether the distribution of new technologies opens up or closes off opportunities for youth in farming. Building on youth studies, the project will investigate how educational institutions and social media represent the idea of successful youth in terms of career and lifestyle, tracing how farm work during childhood shapes the aspirations of rural youth across different classes and genders.

His former roles at the Institute for Peace and Democracy and Udayana University, both in Indonesia, informed his understanding of contemporary agrarian issues, particularly for smallholder farmers, and youth participation in development.

“My vision lies in a food-secure world where all people have access to sufficient nutritious foods,” said Adityanandana. " By bridging agrarian and youth studies, my research aims to shed light on the intricate interplay between social structures, aspirations, and sustainable livelihoods in the context of agricultural development in Indonesia and beyond.”