BAGUIO CITY – Ten (10) outstanding Cordilleran youths who have completed their internship were recognized during the 1st National Youth Internship Program for Organic Agriculture (YIPOA) Graduation Ceremony in a ceremony held at the Philippine International Convention Center on December 17, 2024.
There are four graduates from Benguet, four from Ifugao, and two from Kalinga. They were deployed at Cosmic Farm owned by Rogel Marzan, and Lily of the Valley owned by Jefferson Laruan in La Trinidad, Benguet; Aquilinia Saguilot’s Farm, and Camat’s Integrated Organic Agriculture Farm and Training Center operated by Aquilina Saguilot, and Villafuerte Camat, Jr. in Lamut, Ifugao; and at IILICHAN Diversified and Integrated Farm operated by Lam-an Gonnay in Pasil, Kalinga.
The farm partners were also recognized during the ceremony for their unwavering support by hosting the interns on their farms and mentoring them in their venture into organic agriculture.
During the ceremony, Director Bernadette San Juan of the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said that the YIPOA program is unique, as the Agency is partnering with farmers to foster youth, as it is usually the farmers who are attending trainings. “This time, the farmers are the ones teaching. They also treat the interns as part of their family,” she said. She added that the farm partners contribute to the food system by shaping the youth to become stewards of agriculture.
The graduates have received a PhP150,000 grant to serve as their start-up capital to support carrying out their proposed organic enterprise under the guidance of the farm partner. The start-up support will cover all or part of the interns’ costs and needs for business operations, including site rental, equipment, facilities, labor, and agricultural supplies.
During their internship, the interns and the farm partners also received PhP5,000 as a monthly stipend and mentoring fee for the first 9 months.
At the end of the second year of implementation, interns who successfully implemented their organic enterprise and their farm partners will be awarded incentives amounting to PhP120,000 and PhP60,000, respectively. The success of the business implementation shall be evaluated based on the enterprise’s financial plan. However, this incentive will be implemented for the 2nd batch of YIPOA beneficiaries, while the monthly allowance will be discontinued.
The YIPOA is a collaborative initiative led by the DA, the Agricultural Training Institute, the NOAP, and farm partners nationwide, in a bid to promote healthy and safe agricultural products, sustainable and organic farming systems while fostering the development of future organic practitioners.
YIPOA is a 21-month internship program that offers a hands-on internship for youth beneficiaries, immersing them in practical, field-based learning under the mentorship of experienced farmer mentors and partners. The interns were trained in various organic farm practices, including organic crop production and management, livestock raising, aquaculture, natural fertilizer and pesticide production, food processing, and farm machinery operation and maintenance.
Further, the 21-month internship program comprises 9 months of deployment to chosen farm partners whose operation matches the proposed organic enterprise, and 12-month enterprise implementation. By Cy-j E. Waytan
