PepsiCo's Global Strategy for Young Farmers

PepsiCo is deploying a global strategy with local programs to make farming an attractive career for younger generations. Monica Bauer, Senior Vice President of Social Impact at PepsiCo, told AgFunderNews the company runs initiatives addressing economic barriers, skills gaps, and community vitality.

The average age of a farmer globally is around 58. Only 11% of European farm managers are under 40, and just 9% of U.S. producers are under 35. Bauer stated there is no single solution to agriculture's generational transition. The barriers facing a beginning farmer in North America differ from those for a smallholder in Latin America or an emerging enterprise in South Africa.

Three Universal Challenges

Bauer outlined three interconnected issues consistently facing young farmers worldwide. First is the economic barrier to entering and staying in farming. This includes access to land, capital, equipment, and infrastructure. It also involves building a business resilient to rising costs, climate pressures, and market volatility.

Second is access to skills and pathways. The industry is rapidly evolving. The next generation needs technical, business, and leadership skills. They also need exposure to the full range of careers across the food and agriculture system.

Third is the strength of the surrounding ecosystem. Farmers need reliable connections to mentors, peers, buyers, and markets. They also need communities where families can access nutritious food, education, and economic opportunity. Bauer argued that if the broader community cannot thrive, it becomes much harder to attract and retain the next generation.

Regional Program Models

PepsiCo's support varies by region, blending education, mentorship, and financial aid based on local needs. Bauer explained it is not a one-size-fits-all model. The mix depends on the local barriers each program is designed to address. Education, mentorship and leadership development are important, but in some markets farmers need funding support, access to finance, practical experience or commercial access.

Program selection is managed locally with partner organizations. The common thread is a focus on next-generation or emerging farmers and future agriculture leaders. Bauer emphasized that local expertise is critical.

Business Imperative and Supply Chains

Supporting new farmers is fundamentally about the future of food and has clear business relevance for PepsiCo. The company sources more than 50 crops and ingredients from over 60 countries. Bauer stated that healthy soils, resilient harvests, and thriving farming communities are important to the strength of agricultural value chains.

Agriculture is experiencing a generational transition globally. Older farmers are approaching retirement, and too few young people are entering the sector. Creating stronger pathways into agriculture can help strengthen the resilience of farming communities and supply chains long term. Bauer noted that no single organization can address this challenge alone. Progress depends on collaboration among farmers, businesses, NGOs, educators, researchers, and local communities.

Signs of Progress and Ongoing Hurdles

Some of the strongest signs of progress involve opening pathways to economic opportunity and market access. In the U.S., several Field to Future participants have gained employment with PepsiCo after completing the program.

Internationally, Bauer highlighted a success in Mexico. The Agrovita program helped form "Los PAPIs," the first rural cooperative created through the initiative. This cooperative connected smallholder plantain farmers to formal markets. It eventually supplied plantains used in PepsiCo's NatuChips.

The biggest challenge remains the interconnected nature of the barriers. Skills training alone cannot solve limited access to land, finance, markets, or infrastructure. These barriers are often compounded by broader community challenges and differ by geography. Bauer concluded that meaningful progress requires long-term collaboration and locally relevant solutions.