Manila: More young Filipino agriculture entrepreneurs are now equipped with world-class agribusiness skills from Singapore, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday. This development follows the return of 17 awardees from the DA's Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) Program who participated in a five-day innovation boot camp in Singapore.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) organized the program in collaboration with the Philippine Agriculture Office in Bangkok and Republic Polytechnic Singapore. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized that this initiative is a strategic investment in the future generations of agripreneurs. "By investing in their skills today, we are laying the foundation for a more productive farm sector, stronger rural communities, and a better, food-secure future for every Filipino," he stated.
Republic Polytechnic announced it will continue to offer online coaching to the participants even after their return to the Philippines. During the boot camp, young Filipino agripreneurs were exposed to Singapore's agrifood ecosystem through an agribusiness and technology incubation program. This included smart farming, food innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable agrifood systems, delivered via lectures, site visits, and hands-on learning sessions.
The program culminated in a Final Business Pitch and Demo Day where participants presented their enterprises to venture capitalists, agritech ecosystem partners, and incubation managers from Republic Polytechnic. Bluecrust Processed Food Manufacturing from Central Visayas won the top prize for its value-added seafood products. Cher Cacao Products Manufacturing from the Negros Island Region secured the first runner-up position with its artisanal cacao and chocolate products. Egginear Agri-Poultry Solutions Mimaropa earned second runner-up with its integrated poultry production systems.
"Our goal is to build a new generation of Filipino farmers and agripreneurs who are ready for modern agriculture, equipped with innovation, technology, and an entrepreneurial mindset," Tiu Laurel added. In addition to the competition, the delegation met with Philippine Ambassador to Singapore, Medardo Macaraig, to discuss the global competitiveness of Philippine agriculture.
