The Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) Start-Up program is making waves in the agricultural sector, offering competitive financial grant assistance to Filipino youth eager to engage in new agri-fishery enterprises. With the average age of farmers in the country standing at 57, the YFC Program aims to bridge the generation gap and inspire the next generation of agricultural leaders.
As an agricultural country with an average population of 117 million, the Philippines currently has less than 11 million farmers, a number that continues to dwindle by 1.5% each year, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics 2015. The concern for future generations of farmers is eminent, as more parents aspire for their children to pursue non-farming jobs that offer higher wages. With the average age of the population at a youthful 25.7 years old, the country must tap into its young talent to maintain a sustainable agricultural industry.
The YFC Program, spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture (DA), provides opportunities for Filipino youth to develop a Business Model Canvas (BMC) and run their own agricultural businesses. The competitive financial grant assistance offered by the program acts as a start-up capital for individual youth or group-managed ventures in the agri-fishery sector.
Since its inception, the YFC Program has garnered remarkable success. In 2022 alone, it assisted 1,384 youth beneficiaries and facilitated the establishment of 914 small agri-fishery enterprises. These additions are a testament to the remarkable growth of the program, which boasted 806 youth-led businesses during its first run in 2021.
Initiated by the DA's Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), the YFC Program encourages youth engagement through financial grants made possible by the Office of Senator Imee Marcos. Alongside the grants, participants receive valuable business development services aimed at enhancing their understanding of agriculture and agribusiness management. Additionally, the program provides credit access through the DA's Agricultural Credit Policy Council's (ACPC) Kapital Access for Young Agripreneurs (KAYA) and Agri-Negosyo Loan Programs (ANLP), ensuring the sustainability and growth of the enterprises.
The YFC Program is open to all Filipino youth between the ages of 18 and 30, who possess a genuine interest in pursuing agriculture and fishery business enterprises. The program even extends its invitation to out-of-school youth and encourages groups and associations to apply. Applicants with prior agriculture and fishery experience or related training are preferred, and groups can consist of a maximum of five members.
In a show of support, Senator Imee Marcos filed Senate Bill No. 884, which is an act launching the “Young Farmers Challenge Program” where the youth sector is encouraged to participate in agriculture. It also seeks to address poverty, inequality, lack of social mobility among the young farmers who are burdened by their lack of access to knowledge, information and education; lack of affordable credit or available land to fill; lack of “green jobs”; and lack of participation venues for the youth in agricultural policy debate and formulation. The enactment of this bill would solidify the YFC Program's position in empowering the youth to take on leadership roles in agri-fishery enterprises.
By nurturing the youth sector's interest in agriculture and fisheries, the YFC Program plays a crucial role in ensuring the country's food security and preserving the vitality of the agricultural sector. As the Philippines looks towards a brighter future, the young farmers of today will become the agri-fisheries leaders of tomorrow, leading the nation to new heights of prosperity and sustainability.
YFC grantees at WOFEX Manila 2023
