NorMin young agripreneurs convene to foster collaboration, strengthen market competitiveness

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — To boost the entrepreneurial capacity of young agripreneurs in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10), through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), convened Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) awardees from 2021 to 2025 for the YFC Summit held on November 17 to 18, this city.

The two-day summit provided a collaborative space for business-to-business (B2B) engagements where participants explored partnerships, promoted their products, enhanced their brand identity, and pursued wider market access.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan urged the youth to maximize the program not only for enterprise development but also for community impact.

“I hope that as you implement your programs and engage with us, you will also create an impact by increasing the number of young farmers in your community,” he said.

Discussions centered on strengthening brand building and market linkages.

Engr. John Paul C. Yu, IPO field officer of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the Philippines, detailed the key elements of establishing a strong brand, stressing intellectual property protection, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks.

He underscored that understanding one’s brand story, customer experience, and consistent marketing efforts form part in the foundation of a strong brand identity.

Meanwhile, Donnie Marie Plaza Chan, trade promotions officer of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), presented strategies for strengthening market linkages.

She highlighted the value of effective marketing and sustained promotional activities in building customer loyalty and expanding the reach of local agribusinesses.

A key part of the summit was also the election of regional YFC officers who will lead initiatives to support ongoing market linkage, enterprise promotion, and inter-youth collaboration.

The event further solidified regional partnerships among young agripreneurs to cultivate a more competitive, innovative, and resilient agri-enterprise sector in Northern Mindanao.

This initiative also aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s efforts to provide seed capital, training, and business development support for youth-led agribusinesses. # (MAC)