As Thailand's rural population ages, a new initiative is encouraging young professionals to return to the countryside and establish farming communities with modern technology.
Dozens of young men and women in Thailand are turning away from the modern comforts of big cities, determined to make a self - sufficient life for themselves through agriculture. To help them, a grassroots network of experienced farmers has developed a smart agricultural community called Dare to Return, assisting the youngsters in setting up their farms with modern and sustainable methods.
The Dare To Return initiative is a collaborative effort to empower a new generation of self - sufficient farmers in Thailand, at a time when rural populations are aging. According to the Thai National Economic and Social Development Board, the number of people over 60 living in the countryside rose to more than 11 million in 2017 – or 17 percent of the total population.
The network aims to encourage young people who emigrated to the cities to return and develop their rural hometowns with innovative farming technologies. They believe agriculture is a vector of sustainability and resilience that can provide a long - term foundation for a society ready to adopt technological change. Through mutual assistance, community learning, and self - transformation, they hope to bridge the gap between old and new generations and build the basis for a more collaborative society, improving the quality of life for all.