Young Filipino entrepreneurs are set to bring their agricultural business ideas to the national stage as the Department of Agriculture (DA) gathers top youth-led ventures for the Season 5 national competition of the Young Farmers Challenge on 19 to 23 April in Iloilo City.

The event will bring together finalists from across the country for a series of activities that include a business conference, pitching competition, and awarding ceremony aimed at supporting the next generation of agribusiness leaders.

A total of 64 finalists will compete in three categories: 35 in the Start Up division, 15 in the Upscale category, and 14 representing state and local universities in the Intercollegiate competition. Participants will present their agribusiness proposals before a panel of judges as they compete for national recognition and financial support.

Winners in the Start Up category will receive P300,000, while champions in the Upscale and Intercollegiate divisions will take home P500,000 each to further develop their ventures.

The program will also grant special awards recognizing innovation and sustainability in agriculture. Among these are the Social Innovation Award, Excellence in Product Packaging and Labeling, Indigenous Innovation Award, Young Regenerative Agriculture Award, and Agriculture Technology Development Award. Selected Start Up finalists may receive an additional P50,000 for each recognition.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the initiative aims to nurture a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurs. “They are a reflection of the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cultivate a new generation of farmers who hark back to the wisdom of the past as they innovate and reach for a better future,” he said.

Finalists will pitch their ideas before a judging panel composed of representatives from the DA, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Science and Technology, along with private sector partners including Unahco, Nestlé Philippines, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Mama Sita's, and Jollibee Foods Corporation.

Beyond the competition, the program will host the Young Farmers Challenge Summit and Business Conference on 22 April, where agripreneurs, non-government organizations, and program alumni will share experiences and explore partnerships that can strengthen youth-led agricultural enterprises.

The national winners will be announced during the awarding ceremony on 23 April at the Iloilo Convention Center.

Since it was launched in 2021, the Young Farmers Challenge has reached 4,892 young participants nationwide, encouraging Filipino youth to pursue agriculture not only as a livelihood but also as a field for innovation and enterprise.