Ms. Zara Mae Estareja (top right), Senior Associate for Public Relations from the Partnerships Unit, and Mr. Sonny Pasiona (bottom right), Program Specialist from the Training for Development Unit, serve as resource speakers during the Philippine Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture’s (PPSA) Usapang Kabataan virtual learning session.
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) called for stronger youth leadership in agriculture during Usapang Kabataan: Youth in Agriculture, a virtual learning session hosted by the Philippine Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA) on 11 July 2026.
Held via Zoom and Facebook Live, the session brought together students, young practitioners, and agriculture advocates to examine emerging opportunities, career paths, and leadership ecosystems across modern agricultural systems.
Representing SEARCA were two of its youth ambassadors, Mr. Sonny Pasiona, Program Specialist from the Training for Development Unit, and Ms. Zara Mae Estareja, Senior Associate for Public Relations from the Partnerships Unit.
Opening the discussion on the role of youth in agriculture, Pasiona explained why the sector must remain a top priority for the next generation. He emphasized that agriculture extends far beyond farm production and underpins food security, nutrition, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and rural livelihoods. He also noted that while the sector continues to employ millions of Filipinos, the country's aging farming population underscores the need for young people to become active partners in shaping the future of Philippine agriculture.
Together, Pasiona and Estareja highlighted how young people are redefining the sector by pursuing careers in biotechnology research, digital communications, finance, engineering, public policy, and other fields.
To support this transition, Estareja presented SEARCA's banner youth program, the Young Forces for Agricultural Innovation (#Y4AGRI), launched in 2020. Grounded in the principle of being "by the youth, for the youth, and with the once youth," #Y4AGRI operates on four strategic pillars: promoting modern agriculture, building young people's technical capacities, championing youth voices, and enabling access to resources for youth-led initiatives.
Among its previous flagship initiatives were Sowing Seeds, a career orientation program conducted with senior high schools across the region to introduce students to agriculture and its potential as a rewarding career, and the SEARCA Youth Stories Competition, a video contest that provided young people with a creative platform to share their perspective on agriculture-related challenges and propose solutions.
She also highlighted the success of the SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show, an innovative and non-conventional educational series on Facebook that has drawn over 600,000 views and covered topics such as climate change, home gardening, beneficial insects in ecosystems, and modern agricultural practices.
Underscoring SEARCA's efforts to develop and sustain youth leadership ecosystems, Pasiona introduced the upcoming SEARCA Youth Ambassadors Program (SAYAP) for Sustainable Agrifood Systems. The program aims to build a new generation of innovative and systems-oriented young leaders capable of advancing the sustainable transformation of Southeast Asia's agrifood systems. SEARCA will support participants from foundational training and mentorship and guide them in developing and implementing community-based projects.
The PPSA virtual learning session also featured speakers from across the agricultural sector who presented a broader range of careers and enterprise opportunities. Mr. Arvin Joshua Barlongo of Sprout Up Philippines outlined emerging career paths in modern agriculture, while Engr. Anne Glyn Lisbo, Chief of Agribusiness Promotion at the Philippine Department of Agriculture - Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), presented the financing options and startup grants offered under the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC). Young agripreneur Mr. Francis Joseph Perdigon of Perdigon Farm also shared his entrepreneurial journey to demonstrate the commercial viability of modern and innovative farming.
SEARCA's efforts to engage youth in agriculture align with its 12th Five-Year Development Plan: "SUSTAIN Southeast Asia," which prioritizes the sustainable transformation of agricultural systems through innovation. By empowering the next generation of agricultural leaders, SEARCA is helping to build a more sustainable, technology-driven, and food-secure Southeast Asia.