STARTING ‘EM YOUNG-BUSINESS MODEL
Seven young agripreneurs from the Summer Capital qualify agri-business’ project through the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Kabataang Agribiz Competitive Grant Assistance Program.
Photo courtesy of DA-CAR/ RAFIS
Seven young agripreneurs from Baguio City can now start or continue the implementation of their chosen local agri-businesses after passing the business model canvass (BMC) presentation held on August 3, 2021 in Baguio City.
Passing the first level challenge of the Search for the “Outstanding Kabataang Agribiz Business Models” has qualified each agri-preneur applicant to receive Php50,000.00 grant fund through the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Kabataang Agribiz Competitive Grant Assistance Program. The fund will be used to implement their proposed business on the ground.
The Program hopes to bring out the innovativeness and entrepreneurial ideas in the minds of the youth who are the most instructive asset in the way forward of the Philippine agriculture. The young agripreneurs, composed of five individuals and two groups, presented proposals on rabbitry, bakery, urban farming, poultry, chili sauce processing, and aquaponics samgyupsal house.
Harry Osboken’s DALIKAN Rabbit Meat and Chili Sauce Processing bested all other applicants followed by the Bunnyburrow Bakeshop of Chrystel Mae Cornes. Suelio Ray Coria-en ranked 3rd with his Lagsak Rabittry business model.
Regional Technical Director for Operations Dir. Danilo P. Daguio commended the youth for their interest in joining the Program.
“Your participation is very commendable because you are joining us in achieving the mandate of DA on food security,” he underscored.
Further, City Veterinary and Agriculture Office Head Dr. Brigit Piok appreciated the program and acknowledged the young agripreneurs for their interest. She then encouraged the youth to go into agripreneurship as a means of livelihood.
Judges for the Baguio Citywide search were Marcelina Tabelin of CVAO who also served as the Chairperson; Jovita Sim and Normalyn
Longay of Benguet State University as academe representatives; and Benjamin Cruz and Elmer Macalingay as private sector representatives.
The applicants were judged based on their proposal’s entrepreneurial attribute, innovativeness, revenue stream, and value addition including five identified bonus criteria for judging.
The judges also provided some tips on proposal presentation as well as recommendations for the improvement of the proposal itself.
The qualified applicants will undergo another judging with regards to their first two months of business implementation upon receipt of grant for the selection of Top 3 as Baguio City representatives to compete at the regional level.
Jocelyn Beray, Kabataang Agribiz Program focal person, said that there are three levels for the young farmers’ challenge namely provincial/city, regional, and national level.
Accordingly, the applicant who will be able to pass the national level will have a total accumulated grant award of Php500,000.00. To date, qualified applicants from Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Baguio City were already identified.
BMC presentations in the remaining provinces were scheduled before the end of the month as the qualified applicants are expected to start their business implementation by the following month.
DA-CAR/RAFIS
