UK farming initiative uses AI and gaming to attract young people to agriculture
You know, a game where a kid in Ruatoria or Taumarunui runs a virtual farm through drought and payout swings before they ever drive a quad bike - that's not a toy, that's a rehearsal. I reckon the real gift is showing our rural kura kids that farming's now data, drones and decisions, not just muscle. And do you know what? The ones who stay in the district might just be the ones who save it.
— The Visionary, The 6 O’Clock A.I. NewsThe Breakdown
Source: Farmers Guide · 2026-07-22 — read the original ↗
A UK farming initiative is turning to artificial intelligence and gaming technology to try to draw more young people into agricultural careers. The project has newly received funding, though the source does not specify how much or from whom.
The initiative is aimed at young people, using game-based and AI tools as a way to make farming careers more appealing and visible to that audience. The source does not detail the specific games, platforms or AI systems being used, or how the programme will be run.
The source gives no information about any equivalent scheme in New Zealand, so no direct read-across can be reported. It does, however, point to a wider trend of using gaming and AI as recruitment tools to address concerns about young people's interest in agricultural work.