THE IMPACT OF YOUTH LABOR MIGRATION ON SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURAL INDEPENDENCE IN RURAL INDONESIA

Abstract

Youth labor migration from rural areas has become a defining feature of socioeconomic transformation in Indonesia, with significant implications for rural communities and agricultural sustainability. This study aims to examine how youth labor migration influences rural social structure and agricultural independence in rural Indonesia. Using a qualitative research design based on a literature review, the study synthesizes findings from existing scholarly works on migration, rural sociology, and agrarian change. The analysis reveals that the selective outmigration of young people leads to demographic aging, weakens intergenerational continuity, and reduces youth participation in rural social institutions. These social transformations mediate the negative impacts of migration on agricultural independence by undermining labor availability, farmer regeneration, and collective action in agriculture. The findings further indicate a reinforcing cycle in which declining agricultural viability encourages continued youth migration, exacerbating social and agrarian vulnerabilities. This study contributes to rural sociology and agrarian studies by conceptualizing youth labor migration as a multidimensional process that reshapes both social structures and agricultural systems. The results underscore the importance of integrating social and demographic considerations into rural development and agricultural policies aimed at enhancing sustainability and resilience.