CABANATUAN CITY (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Nueva Ecija is encouraging the children of farmers to sustain their family farms and consider venturing into agribusiness to strengthen the province’s agriculture sector.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of supporting the youth in agriculture in his fourth State of the Nation Address.
“Naghihintay din sa ating kabataan ang mga kurso, programa, at mga scholarships sa larangan ng agrikultura upang ito ay kanilang gawing hanapbuhay balang araw, at maipapagpatuloy ang marangal na kabuhayan ng kanilang mga magulang,” Marcos said.
DTI OIC-Provincial Director Warren Patrick Serrano said that many farmers in the country are already in their late 50s and may struggle in adapting to modern technology and entrepreneurship.
He stressed that engaging their children is important to ensure continuity of farming and open opportunities for business ventures that could increase family income.
“Maybe it’s a long process, especially since the average age of our farmers in the country is around 55 to 58 years old, and most of them are not tech-savvy. So we approach their children and tell them, ‘We appreciate you being farmers, and we encourage you to continue this.’ But there is a long period, a certain season in farming, where you can still do something else to increase your income, and that’s free from DTI,” Serrano said.
DTI Business Development Division OIC-Chief Maria Odessa Manzano also emphasized the importance of preparing the next generation to take over their family-run enterprises.
She said the agency conducts entrepreneurship seminars through its Young Entrepreneurs Program in partnership with the local government units and private sector organizations. Business counselors also offer one-on-one consultancy sessions for aspiring entrepreneurs.
“During our consultancy, we encourage farmers venturing into entrepreneurship to involve their children in the business so that when the time comes for them to retire, the children are prepared,” Manzano said.
She added that parents should gradually teach their children the fundamentals of business operations, the value of hard work, and proper financial management.
To further engage the youth, DTI continues to collaborate with academic institutions, such as the Central Luzon State University and Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology for entrepreneurship programs and product pitching events.
The agency assured that it will sustain its support for the next generation of entrepreneurs, especially those in the agriculture sector, by providing market access, product development assistance, and opportunities to join trade fairs. (MJSC/MCAL, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija GIP)
