Eight (8) young agripreneurs with 4 business models from Zamboanga City were reaped awards during the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) program- regional level organized by the Department of Agriculture-9 in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay Province last November 3. 

The winning Business Model Canvasses (BMC) from Zamboanga City and the categories include the Start Up category for Processing: Squid Savor by Cynelle Ann Senturias, Jevy Juntilla, Jezell Bella of the Western Mindanao State University- College of Food Technology; Start Up category for Production: Andrea’s Quail Farm & Hatchery by Andrea Naraja; Start Up category for Digital Agriculture: SCAN or Soil Composition Analyzer by Chrisdan Mathew Lllanes and the Inter-collegiate category: AMARLLETA (ampalaya biscuit) by Chezanie Pidor, Elaine Joy Bellen and Benjamin Jahandal of the Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University.

Winning BMCs received a financial grant of P80,000 at the provincial level and an additional P150,000 at the Regional Level.

As this developed, Mayor John Dalipe hailed the young agripreneurs for their innovation and for bringing honor and pride to Zamboanga City, as he encouraged them to work harder to achieve the title at the national level.

Dalipe together with Acting City Agriculturist Arben Magdugo recognized the regional awardees during the flag raising ceremony in City Hall Monday morning, November 6.  

The 8 Zamboanguenos and other Regional Awardees from other parts of the region will represent Zamboanga Peninsula in the YFC National Level Competition slated from Nov. 7 to 8 in Manila.

The YFC aims to encourage and support young agripreneurs to stay or return to agriculture and to engage in food production, processing of agricultural products, and other farm-based enterprises. It likewise seeks to provide the youth with the opportunity to own, lease, develop and cultivate lands for agricultural purposes. (Sheila Covarrubias)