Department of Agriculture Launches New Initiatives to Attract Youth to Agriculture
In a bid to rejuvenate the agricultural sector and attract the younger generation, the Department of Agriculture (DA) of the Philippines has announced a series of new programs. The initiatives aim to encourage young Filipinos to embrace agriculture, addressing the aging farmer population and integrating modern practices to enhance the industry’s productivity and sustainability.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted the department’s efforts during the send-off ceremony for 23 scholars participating in the “Young Filipino Farm Leaders Training in Japan.” Secretary Tiu Laurel emphasized the importance of international exchange programs in equipping young farmers with advanced knowledge and technologies that are crucial for the modernization of Philippine agriculture.
The DA’s commitment to nurturing young talent is evident in the Agricultural Training Institute’s Young Filipino Farm Leaders Training Program in Japan. This program is designed to develop the skills of young farmers and showcase their potential on a global stage. Secretary Tiu Laurel, who himself benefited from similar overseas training programs, stressed the significance of such exposure in cultivating a globally competitive and digitally adept agricultural workforce.
With the average age of Filipino farmers in the mid-50s, there is a pressing need to involve more youth in agriculture—a sector that provides employment to nearly 40% of the country’s workforce yet contributes less than one-fifth to the gross domestic product. President Marcos has directed a modernization drive to make agriculture more appealing to the youth, envisioning a “Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas” with a robust and climate-resilient agricultural sector.
The DA’s initiatives include:
- The ongoing selection for the Youth Internship Program on Organic Agriculture.
- The 2024 launch of the Binhi ng Pag-asa Program, in collaboration with Senator Grace Poe’s office.
- The continuous implementation of the Kapital Access for Young Agripreneurs Program by the DA-Agricultural Credit Policy Council.
- The opening of applications for the Fisheries Scholarship Program for the Academic Year 2025-2029 by the DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Secretary Tiu Laurel assured that the DA will continue to develop upskilling and resource provision initiatives for the youth across various farming and fisheries commodities and subsectors. He expressed gratitude to the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council for their longstanding partnership, which has been instrumental in the program’s success since 1986.
During the send-off event, three scholars were recognized for their outstanding agribusiness proposals, each receiving P150,000 grants to implement their projects upon returning from Japan. The DA, through its Regional Field Offices and other agencies, will provide additional support to the scholars in the form of seeds, fertilizers, and machinery.
For more information on these programs and other agricultural initiatives, please visit the Department of Agriculture’s official website at www.da.gov.ph.