BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya (August 21)—Startup capital for small agri-fishery enterprises was given to at least 111 awardees from the five provinces of Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The DA Region 2 Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), headed by Ma. Rosario Paccarangan, said the awardees of the grant included 19 from Cagayan, 50 from Isabela, 31 from Nueva Vizcaya, nine from Quirino and two from Batanes.
Paccarangan said the grant was given during the Young Farmers Challenge Fund: Kabataang Agribiz Competitive Grant Assistance Program Provincial Awarding and Summit at the DA Southern Cagayan Research Center in Minanga Norte, Iguig town in Cagayan on August 18.
She said P50,000 was granted to each awardee under the individual category while P100,000 was awarded to each group under the group category.
“This is not just about our youth and agriculture but our future,” Paccarangan said.
According to the DA-AMAD, the Young Farmers Challenge Fund: Kabataang Agribiz Competitive Grant Assistance Program is a competitive financial grant assistance program for youth ages 18 to 30 years old.
“They plan to engage in agri-fishery enterprises which have profitability potential and those eligible enterprises for the program included those of production, processing, digital agriculture, and supply chain marketing,” Paccarangan said.
During the awarding, Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry Local Chamber President Carlo Castillo, restaurateur and business owner Cloyd Velasco, and Kabataang Agribiz 2021 Awardee Marlon Balunsat encouraged the awardees to sustain their planned enterprises.
Castillo, Velasco and Balunsat shared their own stories of successes and failures while also imparting tips as to how determination, hard work and passion combined can help opportunities be steps toward success.
Through a video clip shown during the event, DA Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs Kristine Evangelista expressed thanks to all the teams who made the program possible and congratulated the awardees.
“The DA believes in investing in farming, in the youth, and the future. The future of agriculture is in the hands of the youth,” Evangelista said.
Dr. Clarisse Alaska, assistant director of the Agricultural Training Institute, also congratulated the awardees, saying, “We recognize the youth as partners in agriculture development.”