In the Cordillera region, Benguet province continues to lead in the Young Farmers’ Challenge (YFC) with the highest number of awardees, grants, and sales.
Since the program’s launch in 2021, Benguet consistently received the most awards for best business model canvas (BMC), totaling 35 over three years. Kalinga and Ifugao also performed well, securing 30 and 24 awards, respectively, during the same period.
The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) shared these insights during the YFC Regional Assessment 2023 held on March 8 in Baguio City.
Since 2021, Benguet has received the highest number of grants across all competition levels (provincial, regional, and national level), totaling P4.2 million, followed by Kalinga at P2.5 million and Ifugao at P2.1 million.
Benguet’s YFC 2021 winners have also excelled in sales, generating a total of P2.4 million since starting their enterprises in 2021. While in 2023, the 2022 YFC awardees from Benguet achieved P2.2 million in sales.
Despite some enterprises halting operations due to various reasons such as shifting interests, full-time work demands, or compliance with academic activities, most remain in operation. Overall, the Cordillera region produced 155 winning BMCs, received P13.8 million in cash grants, and generated P8 million in sales.
Additionally, vegetable production remains the most popular venture among young agri-preneurs, accounting for 35 percent, followed by processing at 22 percent and livestock at 15 percent. By Joven B. Peralta
