THE DAVAO Regional Cacao Industry Council (DRCIC) urged the younger generation to show some interest in farming as one of the primary challenges they face is the need for new farmers, on top of market linkages and technology.
“If you’re able to prove that because of the various technologies that we are applying then most probably we can have more farmers in the future. Ngayon, ang average age natin for the farmers, is already 50 years old,” Dante Muyco Jr., DRCIC chairperson, said.
John Paul Matuginas, Department of Agriculture (DA) XI Regional Industrial Crops focal person, said they formulated programs to entice the youth to pursue farming as a career.
“As an incentive for that, nagahatag ta og mga capital, assistance, financial facility na pwede nilang i-avail, so that makit-an pud sa atong kabatan-onan nga agriculture is not just lucrative, but it provides income sa atoang tanan, as it is the backbone of our economy,” Matuginas said.
Muyco also said the upcoming activity, such as the National Cacao Congress 2023 on November 16-17, will tackle the sharing of technologies and government support that “will further encourage young ones to be going into farming.”
