QUEZON CITY, Philippines—The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) is steadfast in championing young farmers and enthusiasts through different enrichment programs and activities that highlight their skills, achievements, and aspirations. To wit, nine young agripreneurs were recognized during the 2nd Youth in Agripreneurship Program (YAP) Awarding Ceremony. This event marked another milestone for the Institute, in empowering and recognizing the efforts of the Filipino youth especially in agripreneurship.
The YAP has been initiated to holistically empower the younger generation to become agripreneurs and viable partners in agricultural development. It aims to strengthen and highlight their potentials in advancing the sector with their innovative agribusiness ideas. The program was first implemented by ATI in 2021 in three pilot Regions–IV-A, VII, and XII. The program produced a total of 444 youth farmers equipped with agripreneurial knowledge and skills.
In 2022, the implementation of YAP was expanded in additional seven regions–Cordillera Administrative Region, I, II, VIII, X, XI, and XIII; which provided agripreneurial opportunities to young farmers aged 18 to 35 years old in the areas. They have been empowered to contribute in addressing the challenges in the sector, such as: aging farmers, low adoption to agricultural technologies, the need to boost market opportunities, and transforming innovative agribusinesses, among others.
The program’s Agripreneurship Training component is conducted depending on the agriculture and entrepreneurship experiences and learning journeys of the participants. It is categorized into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Among the outputs of the training activities are the agribusiness proposals of the participants. These were then presented and evaluated, for possible funding from the ATI through the Agribusiness Pitching last November 23, 24 and 25, 2022. As a result, top 3 winners per category were chosen by the panel of judges who evaluated the feasibility and sustainability of the proposals.
Winning proposals in the Beginner Category are: “Mahlu Mushroom Farm” by Josie N. Binwang of CAR; “WM Family Farm: Swine Production” by Wilmer S. Mabini of Region I; and “Goat Raising Agri-Venture Farm” by Marvin John L. Dimaculangan of Region XI. Meanwhile, for the Intermediate Category, the winners include: Shawnie Dhale B. Bitso of CAR with her proposal on “Sanagi Agri Tourism Farm Expansion Project”; Sherly B. Carlos of CAR with “The Promotion of Cordilleran Meat Processing”; and Ressie A. Umuran of Region X with “Naturally Grown Black Rice Production”. Lastly, for the Advanced Category, the winning proposals are: “SayMayat Farming” by Denver K. Biang of CAR; “Farmers’ Brand Agri-Tourism” by Gerald L. Quinit of Region I; and “Win’z Food Products” by Sherwin G. Sintaon of Region X.
ATI’s OIC-Director Remelyn R. Recoter, expressed her commendation to the winner, “To the nine winners from the three categories, you have become now as role models to your fellow youth, and the government’s partners in agricultural development and nation-building.”
The winners shall receive grants shall serve as start-up or additional capital for their respective agribusiness proposals. Winner in the Beginner Level are given Php100,000, Intermediate Level with Php150,000, and the Advanced Level with Php200,000.
The said YAP Awarding Ceremony was conducted by the ATI’s Partnership and Accreditations Division last December 19, 2022 at the Rural Development and Education Center in this city.
