Inclusive agricultural extension as an institutional mechanism for youth empowerment in sustainable food systems

This study examines how gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) functions as an institutional mechanism linking individual characteristics, agricultural extension intensity, and external support to youth empowerment within sustainable food systems. Framed within global challenges of structural inequality, youth disengagement from agriculture, and unequal resource access that hinder the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this study adopts a quantitative approach as the primary design. Quantitative data from 152 young farmers were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), while qualitative insights from in-depth interviews were incorporated to enrich the interpretation of the findings. The results show that agricultural extension intensity ( β = 0.271; p < 0.001) and external support ( β = 0.371; p < 0.001) significantly enhance GESI effectiveness, which in turn positively influences empowerment ( β = 0.285; p = 0.006). However, individual characteristics do not directly affect empowerment ( β = 0.020; p = 0.815), indicating that empowerment outcomes depend on inclusive institutional mechanisms rather than individual capacity alone. These findings position GESI as a critical institutional bridge that transforms structural inputs into inclusive empowerment outcomes. The study provides practical implications for designing inclusive agricultural extension systems and policy interventions that support equitable and sustainable food system transformation.