32 youth vie for the YFC 2024 start-up provincial level awards

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10), through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), conducted the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) 2024 on March 6 to 7 to support a new batch of young agripreneurs in the different provinces/independent cities across Region 10. A total of 38 individuals expressed their interest to participate, but only 32 qualified to pitch their business proposals at the start-up provincial level.

Per Memorandum Circular No. 49, Series of 2024, the program aims to support and empower young farmers and fisherfolk as active partners in food security, agricultural development, and modernization. It also encourages the youth to engage in agriculture, agribusiness, and agri-entrepreneurship, positioning them as key agents for sustainable development.

Since its inception in 2021, the YFC program has supported over 3,625 YFC beneficiaries who now operate their respective agri-fishery enterprises.

This year, young farmers from Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, and Cagayan de Oro presented their business model canvasses (BMC), in two categories: production and processing (food and non-food).

The panel of judges composed of AMAD OIC-Chief, Mae Carmela G. Fabela; Supervising Agriculturist, Ferdinand F. Caraballe; Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) chairperson, Nilda B. Salas; and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Senior Trade-Industry Development Specialist, Christopher Leonard Casinillo, judging the proposals based on the following criteria: entrepreneurial attributes (20%), innovativeness of the business proposal (20%), revenue potential (20%), value addition (20%), and social responsibility (20%).

The role of the panel was to select the provincial-level awardees and provide recommendations for improving the enterprises.

Key guidelines include that the start-up agri-fishery enterprise is either new or in the initial stages of implementation (without business registration or permit). Scaling-up of an existing business or family enterprise is likewise not allowed.

Each qualified provincial level applicant will receive PhP80K as start-up capital for their proposed agri-fishery enterprise. Winners will also qualify to compete at the regional level, where seven regional winners will be selected.

Also present during the event are focal persons and other agri staff from the Field Operations Division, who acted as technical experts during the deliberation process.# (MAC)