More young agri graduates join YFP

Fifty young agriculture graduates and budding entrepreneurs coming from various regions of the country are now attending the Orientation Course on Entrepreneurship for Young Farmers at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.

These aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs with approved project proposals for funding assistance under the Young Farmers Program (YFP) composed the fourth batch of participants to YFP who will undergo intensive training to enhance them with requisite knowledge, orientation and skills to manage an agro-based enterprise. The training, which started on Jan. 31 will culminate on Feb. 26.

The first phase of the training is a six-day classroom orientation course, which will allow participants to identify and describe the competencies, qualities and values at work in a successful Filipino entrepreneur. They could also gain insights from experiences of YFE graduates who are now operating their agribusiness and from successful local entrepreneurs.

The second phase of the training course will be the on-the-job practicum and revision and finalization of their respective project proposals, which will be conducted at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU).

Among the participants, 13 have submitted project proposals for hog fattening and swine raising, 11 for goat raising project, five for cattle fattening, five for banana production, three for tilapia production, three for poultry raising, two for quail egg production, and one each for high-value crop production, beekeeping, integrated farming, dendrobium growing for cut flower production, mushroom production, poultry egg production, duck raising, dairy buffalo production, native chicken production and integrated livestock farming.

Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., the brainchild of the program, explained that under the program, the government is committed to help participating entrepreneurs secure loans representing 60 percent of the capital needed for their proposed project. The 25 percent of their needed capital would be awarded as grant by the program, while the remaining 15 percent has to be raised by the proponent as equity.

"With this program, we could encourage more young people to venture into agribusiness which would eventually generate more jobs especially in the countryside," he said.