DILIMAN, Quezon City — In a concerted effort to empower the youth to become competent agripreneurs and foster leadership and values in agriculture, the Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Training Institute (DA–ATI), through its Partnerships and Accreditation Division, has launched the Binhi ng Pag-asa Program (BPP) 2024 in collaboration with the Office of Senator Grace Poe (OSGP).
The BPP 2024 is set to make a transformative impact by extending its reach to communities with promising potential for growth in the agricultural sector. This year’s program targets three provinces as beneficiaries - Laguna, Tarlac, and Oriental Mindoro, aiming to benefit 1,063 young farmers.
Underpinning the initiative is a commitment to providing leadership and agricultural training, promoting sustainable farming practices, and facilitating social media marketing for local produce.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. voiced staunch support for the program, stating “Our cause is to eradicate agricultural misconceptions and provide lucrative opportunities to young farmers as the future shall not only depend alone on the decisions of the officials but on the participation of the younger generation as it becomes more evident that the future of Philippine agriculture belongs to them.”.
Echoing this sentiment, OSGP’s Chief of Staff Brian Poe Llamanzares pledged ongoing assistance for future agricultural programs. “Let us continue to nurture, support, and involve our youth and let them participate in nation-building, especially in the critical areas that determine the future of our country, he emphasized.
Through the BPP, a concerted commitment has been made between the OSGP and DA-ATI to enhance the lives of Filipino farmers. The program aims to equip young farmers with essential knowledge, skills, and values bolstered by starter kits to propel their development forward. Moreover, the current program received endorsement from Irene Yaoling Wang, serving as the first secretary of the Political Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines.
As the program takes root in the selected provinces, it heralds a new dawn of hope and opportunity for farmers and their families. With dedication, perseverance, and active participation, the agricultural sector can sow the seeds of hope once more - Binhi ng Pag-asa.
The launching ceremony took place on April 19, 2024, at the Rural Development Education Center of DA-ATI Central Office in Diliman, Quezon City.
