Making agri ‘cool’ for youth key to PH food security — lawmaker

FILE PHOTO: A farmer spreads fertilizer granules as he walks through his rice field in Bambang town, Nueva Vizcaya province. Rice farmers in the country, many of them still relying on manual labor to produce the staple, worry about competition from cheaper imported rice flooding local markets. — KARLSTON LAPNITEN

MANILA, Philippines — Making agriculture “cool” for the youth to get involved in the industry will be key to the country’s food security, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said on Thursday.

In a statement at the 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP), Yamsuan said making agriculture’s related industries cool would entail the use of social media to inform young people that agriculture and fisheries are not focused solely on tedious tasks such as planting and fishing.

“Instead of saying ‘agriculture, I would say ‘agri-COOL-ture’. Why? Because we have to make agriculture cool. When something is cool, people pay attention, people care, [and] people want to take part in it. We cannot do something about anything we have no knowledge about,”  he said.

“By making agriculture and relevant industries such as fisheries and aquaculture, cool, we can raise awareness of their importance, and crucially, attract the attention of the youth — the future stewards of these sectors. Without their participation, sustainable agri-futures may be a distant goal,” he added.

Several studies show youth interest in agriculture-related programs and initiatives is declining. As early as 2012, there were observations from a University of the Philippines Los Baños researcher about the dwindling number of students entering agriculture programs at the college level.

READ: Enrollment in agriculture at UPLB sharply declines

The decrease in interest has prompted Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza in 2023 to call for a revisit of the country’s licensure exam policies. He suggested that alternative licensure routes be established to give non-passers a chance.

Daza said the country had low passing rates in sectors where interested and dedicated workers were needed the most like in agricultural-related industries.

READ: Solon wants licensure exam rules revisited

According to Yamsuan, chairperson of the House committee on aquaculture and fisheries resources, the chamber is doing its best to address problems related to agriculture. The proof of this is the passage of 114 bills related to aquaculture on the third reading at the House of Representatives under the 19th Congress.

It includes a bill seeking to establish a Manila Bay Aquatic Resources Management Council, which will be tasked with ensuring an effective implementation of policies regarding Manila Bay.

Yamsuan also touted the approval of other measures, like a bill that aims to establish resettlement areas that will protect fisherfolk from natural calamities, and the establishment of fish hatcheries, fish ports, and other post-harvest facilities that will strengthen the infrastructure network for the fisheries sector.

He also thanked the ECCP for holding its Sustainable Agriculture Forum for the 7th time.

“I commend the officers and members of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and everyone here today for your dedication to driving positive change in the agricultural and fisheries sectors through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and advocacy for sustainable policies,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, included in the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority legislation is a bill seeking to amend the Fisheries Code, which if enacted would strengthen science-based approaches for identifying fishing areas.

“Let us commit ourselves to realizing a vision of sustainable, inclusive and resilient agriculture and fisheries sectors. By working together, let us shape agri-futures that nourish livelihoods, stimulate innovation, and safeguard the well-being of current and future generations,” he noted.