DA calls on youth to find future jobs in agriculture

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is calling on youth 18 to 30 years old to take part in activities and processes related to farming and fishing under the “Kabataang Agribiz Grant Assistance Program.”

DA said the program has a grant value of P74 million. It’s available to Filipino youth aged 18 to 30 who are ready and willing to engage in agriculture and fishing business enterprise.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said young people leave rural areas for more lucrative jobs in urban areas. He hopes the program will help Filipinos start their own agriculture business.

He said the youth’s new way of thinking is the key to making agriculture sustainable.

The DA will accept both in-school and out-of-school applicants, but those with experience and training in either informal or formal settings will be given preference. Groups and associations are welcome to join provided they meet the qualifications.

The DA added that eligible applicants must submit a Business Model Canvas (BMC) outlining their potential benefit to the DA Central Office’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) and to the regional offices’ Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division.

The DA did mention, however, that in order to ensure applicants meet the criteria, AMAS and the Agricultural Training Institute would host a virtual orientation for BMC preparation.

“The main objective of this initiative is to encourage and motivate the young Filipinos to go back into farming and so we want to ensure that we give them assistance every step of the way,” AMAS Secretary Kristine Evangelista said.

The DA listed the following awards to be received by the youth awardees per stages of competition:

Provincial – Php 50,000.00 per enterprise

Regional – Php 150,000.00 per enterprise

National – Php 300,000.00 per enterprise

“The grant will serve as start-up capital for the proposed micro-enterprise which will be implemented by the youth awardees.” the DA said.

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs said that “agriculture is the solution in ensuring that the country will have access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food.”

She then urged the younger generation to submit unique business plans that are “innovative and adds value”, whether in production, processing, marketing, and modernized technologies.

“Ipakita po natin na ang kabataan na ang pag-asa ng pagsasaka, at ng sambayanang Pilipino,” the senator said.

(Let us show that the youth are the hope of farming, and of the Filipino people.)

abc