CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office (DA RFO) 3 (Central Luzon) has implemented a program that would encourage the youth to engage in agribusiness.
Through Mentoring and Attracting Youth in Agribusiness (MAYA), the DA RFO-3, in partnership with the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), will engage 16 youths from different provinces in Central Luzon in a 24-week internship program that could motivate and skill them to become agro-fishery entrepreneurs or “agripreneurs”.
The internship program will start on March 15 and end on September 15.
Dr. Irene M. Adion, chief of the DA RFO-3’s Research Division, said Thursday the program aims to hone the skills and capabilities of the youth in agribusiness.
Adion said the program would prepare the youth to be future leaders of the DA or their respective communities and local government units.
“Kailangang mapabilang ang mga younger generation sa agriculture dahil napapansin na ang average age ng farmer ngayon ay nasa edad na 57. Ang mga kabataan ay very dynamic ang kaisipan and more aggressive in terms of engaging (in) business (There is a need for the younger generation to be involved in agriculture because the average age of farmers at present is 57. The youth has a very dynamic mind and more aggressive in terms of engaging in business),” she said in an official social media account.
Arthur Dayrit, officer-in-charge of the DA Regional Technical Director for Research, Regulatory, and Integrated Laboratory Division, encouraged the youth to learn how to improve their skills, not only in production but also in other aspects of the value chain.
“Maraming (there are many) opportunities to grow not only just planting rice, you can plant rice but after production, mayroon ka pa dapat gawin para mas kumita (you still have to do more to earn more),” Dayrit said.
Under the MAYA program, the trainees will get a monthly allowance of PHP20,000.
After their internship, the youth may either opt to venture into an agro-fishery enterprise for which they may apply for a zero-interest loan with the DA’s Agricultural and Credit Policy Council or pursue a career in the DA or any government agency.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar earlier said with an aging population of farmers and fisherfolk, there is a need to continuously motivate, inspire, and capacitate younger Filipinos to take on the challenge of helping feed the nation and earn in the process. (PNA)
