Aiming to empower the youth to become competent agripreneurs and foster leadership and values in agriculture, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in MIMAROPA conducted a Binhi ng Pag-Asa Program: Provincial Level Training on Leadership and Agricultural Commodities at the ATI-MIMAROPA, Barcenaga, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on July 31-August 2, 2024.
In partnership with the Office of Senator Grace Poe (OSGP), the training commenced with a lecture on the current agricultural situation in Oriental Mindoro, where the 15 participants learned about the importance of agriculture to the provincial economy.
Representatives from OSGP also gave lectures to participants on leadership and values formation highlighting the qualities of an effective leader, the importance of values transformation, agricultural advocacies and agripreneurship. Moreover, they were taught how to market their agricultural products and services using social media.
Besides the lecture-discussions, the youth were introduced to various agricultural technologies used and demonstrated at the Center’s Techno Demo Farm and gained experience in producing organic concoctions.
In his impression, Mr. Mark Janssen S. Salas, Secretary of Tropang Alagad from the Municipality of Roxas, emphasized the vital role of youth in achieving success in agriculture.
“Napakalaki ng papel ng kabataan sa pagpapaunlad ng agrikultura. Tunay nga na ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan, ngunit hindi lamang pag-asa; dapat ay inaasahan din ng bayan sapagkat tayo ang magiging mga pinuno sa hinaharap. Kailangan nating alamin kung ano ang dapat nating gawin bilang mga kabataan upang mas bigyan ng importansya ang agrikultura. Dapat nating ibahagi ang ating kaalaman at i-inspire ang iba na mabasag ang stigma hinggil sa agrikultura, tulad ng pag-iisip na bakit ka mag-aaral kung magiging farmer ka din naman. Dapat tayong maging proud na tayo ay mga kabataang magsasaka," he said.
To support their agicultural venture, the participants received starter kits that included the priority commodity for each municipality.
