By JUNEP OCAMPO, MB Agriculture Editor
Not too long ago, the phrase "Filipino young farmer" was considered contradictory. There were no Filipino young farmers anymore. The government even had to sound the alarm that if nothing was done, ageing Filipino farmers would retire by 2026 with no successors in sight.
But Covid-19 changed all these.
Now, a resurgence of interest in farming among the youth is being observed from Luzon to Visayas, all the way to Mindanao. Twenty-four young farmers interviewed for this story claim they only went into serious farming at the onset of the pandemic. And all of them expressed optimism for the future of Philippine agriculture.
Dennis Ivan Chavez Baliguat, a 23-year-old computer engineer who just wanted to be a hacker, said the pandemic triggered in him the fear of a "zombie apocalypse." This led him and two friends to begin dabbling in hydroponics so they would have something to eat should the pandemic turn out to be their worst nightmare. Their hydroponic farm built on the rooftop soon became the Fresco-Greenovation agri-tech startup and won a grant in a Young Farmer Challenge competition.
Sisters Macor, 37, and Anne Martinez, 44, also had the same motivation, but minus the fear of zombies. Having grown up in a farming household in Porac, Pampanga, they thought of venturing into hydroponics in 2020 to grow lettuce and microgreens purely for personal consumption. "We just wanted to have healthy food that is readily available," Macor said. The sisters soon discovered that other people were looking for those things, too, leading them to turn their hobby into the Mizu Hydroponic and Microgreens Farm.
Christian Paulo R. Magsino, 29, meanwhile, grew up with his agricultural engineer grandfather in Santiago, Isabela. He was 22 when his grandfather died, and he overheard members of the family planning to sell his Lolo's 10-hectare farm to a subdivision developer. To stop this, he resigned and took over his Lolo's farm, turning it from a seedling grower into an integrated farm with greenhouses for lettuce and coops for free-range chickens.
Francis Christian Fornoles and Vinnie Vanarte, both 23, from Bula, Camarines Sur, for their part, said they learned about free-range chicken while in college and during the pandemic, they did informal research on YouTube to learn more about it. From seven chicks, they now have a breeding farm in three-fourths of a hectare of land where they raise Rhode Island Red, Black Australorps, and Barred Plymouth Rock chickens for eight months before selling them. They have eventually produced their chicks on their farm.
Carlu Alfonso Acaylar Realiza, 35, from Turno, Dipolog City, in Zamboanga del Norte, grew up in a farming household but he has taken up organic farming by learning a low-cost way of doing it at the height of the lockdowns. He now produces vegetables such as the Persian cucumber and even teaches others the JADAM method invented by a Korean expert which includes creating homemade fertilizers and organic pesticides.
Jepherson Mark Parcia, 22, from Barangay Antipolo Tinambac, Camarines Sur, stumbled upon agarwood in high school after discovering agarwood seedlings in a forest near their home. He soon stopped going to school. Instead, he turned into a full-time grower of these expensive seedlings with the help of his father in their nursery.
Johnnel Tepora, 35, from Buna Cerca, Indang, Cavite, owns an integrated farm where he raises fancy chickens and pigs while cultivating exotic crops such as dragonfruit. He grew up with his farmer grandfather and now takes pride in being a farmer himself.
Rouen B. Dolot, 31, from Barangay Cantiwiris, Tolosa, Leyte, turned a 1,000 sqm borrowed land into a thriving farm for small-scale vegetable production. He grows eggplants, sweet peppers, bitter gourd, and Japanese cucumbers which he sells online.
Glea D. Reyes, 26, from Barangay Ablan, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, is a teacher who was raised by a farming father. In 2021, while recuperating from surgery, she stumbled upon hydroponics. She did her online research and soon enough turned their backyard into a thriving hydroponics farm producing various kinds of lettuce which she sells in Korean restaurants.
Vash Desuyo Lillo, 19, from Candelaria, Quezon, is a veterinary medicine student. He grew up in a household that raises poultry which made him love chickens. He now raises fancy chickens which he sells online. He regularly participates in conventions and conferences to further increase his know-how.
Chloei Capili, 28, and Christian Pabelico, 31, from General Emilio Aguinaldo (Bailen), Cavite, were both corporate executives who sought the farming life at the height of the pandemic. They turned their land in Cavite into a farm to grow vegetables and raise quails, documenting their journey via YouTube. They believe that young people now are more interested in farming.
Tricia Bravante, 35, and Bella Manlulo, 31, were an LGBTQIA+ couple. They are both into advertising yet they chose to go full blast in managing Sayo Nora Bee Farm in Brgy. Suba, Majayjay, Laguna, where they also grow exotic fruits such as durian and pomelo. The farm was a tribute to Tricia's mother Nora who passed away from cancer in 2015.
"It was a wake-up call for me, telling me that life is short and we have to make it worthwhile," says Tricia.
Fraullyn Joy P. Brillo, 31, and Homer E. Deloso, 31, grew up in farming families. They now own a consultancy company that provides management insights to farms in Guimbal, Iloilo, and other areas. Their recent project is the development of the 25-hectare Almarosa Farm, which was once a denuded place but now planted with high-value fruit trees.
Benzone Kennedy F. Sepe, 32, from Kapatagan, Digos City, Davao del Sur, initially "hated" farming after seeing how hard his parents' life was. But a visit to South Korea in 2015 opened his eyes to the potential of modern agriculture. He soon grew apples, and he has been recognized as one of the first to make his apple trees bear fruit successfully.
Angelyn Ablanque Mestiola, 28, of Abuyog, Leyte, fell in love with farming after discovering the Korean natural farming methods of using beneficial micro-organisms. She now grows organic chicken in an integrated farm planted with vegetables and flowers.
Marlo Molino Bibat, 29, from Natividad, Pangasinan, grew up working on farms. When he got married, he ventured into vegetable seedling production and now supplies to farmers in various towns of the province.
Julius C. Velasquez, 30, from Norzagaray, Bulacan, initially raised goats as a side hustle. He soon discovered that it is a profitable venture especially if you do it for milk instead of meat. He and his wife raise goats for milk to be used for pastillas and cheese.
Sofia Erin Gancenia, 22, is a Fine Arts graduate who worked as her father's executive producer in an agribusiness channel on YouTube. She has seen numerous farmers already and has learned from their successes as well as failures. And she is convinced that there is a big space for young people in agriculture, no matter what interest young people may have.
"Whatever skill you have, you can apply it in agriculture," she said.
Yet, there are even younger Filipinos who are taking up farming at a much younger age.
The three children of Turo and Andrea Tolentino are growing up on what is shaping up to be a farmstead in Bay, Laguna where the family is trying to grow its food. The children, Ari (17), Uri (15), Ira (9), and Duda (7), take turns helping their parents water the crops or feed their farm animals.
Their parents believe that farming not only teaches the children to value nature but also to see the importance of hard work and working together. They emphasize appreciation, recognizing that the farm’s success wouldn’t be possible without the children’s efforts. This instills a sense of responsibility and purpose in the kids, knowing they are essential to the farm.
The government is recognizing this trend reversal of young Filipinos becoming interested in farming. And it is now catering to the growing demand from young farmers.
The Agricultural Training Institute, for instance, has been conducting training programs in various forms of farming, including agribusiness.
"In 2023, the ATI had over 2,500 training activities nationwide, benefiting more than 60,000 Filipinos, including farmer-leaders, extension workers, youth, and other sectors," said ATI National Director Remelyn Recoter.
The ATI also offers scholarships to young Filipinos wanting to pursue careers in agriculture and internship programs, both local and international, to give the youth hands-on experience in farming.
(With reports from Benjamin Sarondo and Cel Cadahing-Ocampo)
