New generation of farmers, agri innovators take spotlight

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The Philippine Star

January 4, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture, through the Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI), recently feted outstanding college students who developed digital technologies and services for the agriculture and fisheries sector.

At the same time, a fresh wave of 150 young farmers is ready to start their new journey in agriculture and agribusiness following their graduation from the 2nd National Youth Internship Program on Organic Agriculture (YIPOA) held last month in Quezon City.

The young agri innovators were recognized during the Agri Tech Innovate: Accelerating Digital Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries (Digi Agri Hacki) early last month.

Launched in March by the DA-ATI, the Digi Agri Hacki project was piloted in Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao. The initiative seeks to identify innovative digital solutions to address pressing challenges in agriculture and fisheries, while fostering youth participation, collaboration and networking.

The DA said it would scale up Digi Agri Hacki nationwide, with increased funding to encourage more youth-led innovations.

The project has three phases: 1) ideation workshops; 2) bootcamp and mentoring; and 3) demo day. There were 25 participating schools, 108 students, and 40 coaches during the ideation workshops, but only 10 schools, 36 students, and 12 coaches qualified to proceed to the bootcamp and mentoring sessions. From there, only the top five teams, composed of three students each, qualified for the demonstration of prototypes and final pitch.

“We really hope that all the ideas, the products that we have produced will be utilized. It doesn’t stop here,” DA-ATI assistant director Antonieta Arceo said.

She also recognized the essential support of the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s ICT Industry Development Bureau in the successful implementation of the project’s pilot run.

The first batch of winning teams from the Digi Agri Hacki Program include:

First place: AgriBits Team composed of Arjoe Solidum, Aljune Yatar, Alwin Andrade and coach Jess Masula from Aklan State University. They developed Natural Fiber Classifier, a real-time image based grading classification for abaca and red Spanish pineapple fibers.

Second place: OnioNet Team composed of Ken Quiambao, Jericho Pineda, MC Osmund Espejo and coach Rocel Batara from Saint Mary’s University – Bayombong. OnioNet is a digital tracking and monitoring system for onion cold storage facilities.

Third place: SEAQUA Team composed of Mary Emily Aguilar, Alessandra Minoza, Theo Mata and coach Mercedes Pates from the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology. Their Smart Environment Aquatic Monitoring is a Smart Recirculating Aquaculture System RAS, utilizing IoT and AI and biofiltration.

Fourth place: DIPTek Team composed of Eirmon John Paculan, Paul Jackson Laerin, Daniel Zon Baltazar and coach Quennie Bilugan from Cavite State University- Naic Campus. They developed AKWATEK that offers an AI-powered progressive web application that detects fish stress in real time by analyzing eye-darkening indicators.

Fifth place: ArcTech Team composed of Joeñino Cainday, Jasmine Alison, Zea Muñez and coach Jodie Rey Fernandez from University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines Cagayan de Oro Campus. CropWise is a web and mobile platform that delivers AI-driven crop and multicropping recommendations, real-time soil and weather monitoring, and comprehensive farm management tools.

Meanwhile, the YIPOA graduates (101 males and 49 females) consisted of 85 out-of-school youth and 65 college graduates. Together, they have established a total of 150 organic agriculture enterprises, successfully completed the program from June 2024 to December 2025 and submitted all the necessary requirements for the internship.

Also implemented by DA-ATI under the DA-National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP), YIPOA is a specialized 21-month internship in organic farming for youth aged 18–35. Unlike typical scholarships, YIPOA offers hands-on training, mentoring, and start-up support to help youth become organic agripreneurs. It includes nine months of schooling and farm-based training, followed by a year of practical enterprise implementation, empowering participants to embrace farming as both a livelihood and a lifestyle.

“Today, these young individuals stand as symbols of hope and innovation. You have shown that the youth are not only the future, they are the present for shaping change in our agriculture and fisheries sector. Their determination and creativity have strengthened the foundation for a more sustainable and resilient food system,” DA-ATI director Remelyn Recoter said.

With guidance from DA-ATI farm partners and mentors, the interns gained vital skills in sustainable farming, pest management, soil health and organic certification, equipping them to manage their own enterprises.

DA-NOAP director Bernadette San Juan acknowledged the farm partners who played a crucial role in honing the skills of the graduates. She reminded the new farmers to treasure the knowledge, experiences and incentives they received, as these will serve as blessings in growing their ventures.

Since its launch in 2023, YIPOA has already produced a growing number of graduates who are now managing their own agri-enterprises and practicing sustainable farming. With this second batch, the program continues to build a strong foundation for a new generation of farmers who will carry forward the vision of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agriculture.