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Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines – The First Asia-Pacific Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics (YFCA), held from August 12-16, 2024, at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), brought together around 130 young farmers, fishers, pastoralists, forest-users and indigenous peoples from 20 countries across Asia-Pacific. The event aimed to strengthen young farmer engagement in their organizations and cooperatives, foster partnership and collaboration among young farmers in different regions, and promote farming as a viable career option for the youth.
The event kicked off with a vibrant Parade of Nations, where delegates, adorned in their countries’ traditional attire and proudly holding their flags, marched across the UPLB campus grounds. The event officially commenced with participants lighting the cauldron, symbolizing their unity and spirit.
The opening ceremony took place at the Umali Auditorium, SEARCA, and was attended by officials from various government agencies, UPLB, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental bodies, development partners, and civil society organizations. Notable attendees included UPLB Vice Chancellor Roberto V. Cereno, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Cooperative Development Authority Assistant Secretary Virgilio Lazaga, Assistant Director of the Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) Antonieta Arceo, IFAD Country Director for Papua New Guinea and Afghanistan and Task Manager for the Asia-Pacific Farmers Program–Farmers Organisations for Asia (APFP-FO4A) Jerry Pacturan, IFAD Philippines Country Director Umit Mansiz, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Special Adviser Robert Simpson (who joined online), European Union (EU) Philippine Delegation Head of Cooperation Marco Gemmer, AgriCord representative Marlene Ramirez, Deutscher Genossenschafts-und Raiffeisenverband (DGRV) Project Advisor Luis Herrera, and VSO Philippines Chief of Party Ben Williams. Speakers addressed pressing challenges in Philippine agriculture, including food security threats exacerbated by climate change, while highlighting the vital role young farmers play in introducing innovations, advocating for decent livelihoods, and promoting inclusivity in decision-making processes. The opening ceremony also coincided with the United Nations International Youth Day celebration.
The young farmer delegates participated in a friendly competition called the Agrilympics, inspired by the spirit of the World Olympics. This unique event combined agricultural skills with fun, challenging participants to showcase their skills in a lively and supportive environment. The delegates were divided into three teams: Red, Green, and Yellow, with the Yellow team emerging as the winner of the Agrilympics relay game.
Workshops throughout the event covered crucial topics such as digital agriculture, cooperatives, forestry management, and organic farming. Notably, a forum and workshops on climate change and agriculture included a bridge-building competition, where delegates constructed bridges to illustrate the importance of collaboration and innovation in building climate-resilient communities. The event also highlighted stories from young Madina Karmysheva, a forest user from Kyrgyzstan, Clayton Simamao, a beekeeper from Samoa, Princess Rhya Ballon, a farmer and fisher from the Philippines, and Jaga Manguben Dhirubhai Jaga, a salt farmer from India, who shared their experiences as youth involved in farming within their communities and adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Farmer and climate activist Jonjon Sarmiento delivered a powerful talk, sharing his journey into agroecology and how he now sources the majority of his family’s food through sustainable farming practices.
The YFCA also featured a vibrant Knowledge Market Share Fair, where the young farmer delegates showcased their youth-led initiatives, youth programs as well as their products. The booths were filled with a variety of goods, including food items, textiles, and souvenirs, alongside informational materials highlighting their initiatives. Participants had the opportunity to sample and purchase each other’s local delicacies and beverages including coffee, tea, chocolate, nuts, and rice, creating an engaging exchange of culture and agriculture.
The delegates gained valuable skills and knowledge through the Skills Lab sessions, facilitated by various expert organizations. These included Gugma PR, ComDev Asia, UPLB College of Development Communication (UPLB CDC), DA–ATI, UPLB Institute of Agroforestry’s Learning Laboratory for Agroforestry (IAF-LLA), UPLB CAFS Organic Agriculture Research, Development and Extension Center (OARDEC), UPLB CAFS National Crop Protection Center (NCPC), UPLB CAFS Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), Edible Landscaping, Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI), and the Postharvest Horticulture Training and Research Center (PHTRC). A tour of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) provided the delegates with insights into the latest advancements in agriculture, including the use of drones for field irrigation and research on crop yield in challenging environments like saline soils.
Cultural and Solidarity Nights were a significant part of the event, where the delegates showcased their cultural heritage through performances, fostering camaraderie and unity among participants. These evenings were not just about entertainment; they were about building connections and celebrating the rich diversity within the farming community.
By the end of the 5-day event, the delegates created short videos in which they shared their key takeaways and plans and discussed how they would apply their learnings by conducting workshops and training sessions in their communities to engage more young farmers in agriculture, start agri-businesses, and advance their advocacies. Watch the videos here.
The event concluded with a closing ceremony at the Umali Auditorium, SEARCA, where delegates, volunteers, and organizers were recognized for their contributions.
More than just a gathering, the First Asia-Pacific Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics provided young farmers with a platform for knowledge exchange, cultural celebration, and innovation. The event successfully underscored the critical role of youth in agriculture and the importance of sustainable farming practices. It inspired young farmers to see agriculture not just as a profession but as a vital part of building safe, just, and resilient food communities across the Asia-Pacific region.
The First YFCA was organized by the consortium Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), International Cooperative Alliance – Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP), and Pacific Farmer Organisations (PFO), and was co-organized by the Philippine Working Group YFCA members which are the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Department of Agriculture–Agriculture Training Institute (DA-ATI), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), AgriCord, German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Confederation (DGRV), VSO International, ComDev Asia, Gugma PR, Philippine Family Farmers’ Agriculture Fishery Forestry Cooperatives Federation (AgriCOOPh), Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), and Kalipunan ng mga Maliliit na Magniniyog ng Pilipinas (KAMMPIL). The event was also supported by the UPLB Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, the 4-H Club of Calamba City through the City Agricultural Services Department of Calamba City (CASD), the Baden Powell International Makiling, and the Development Innovation Insider (Diinsider).
The event was significantly supported by the Asia-Pacific Farmers Program (APFP) and the Farmers Organization for Asia (FO4A), a medium-term program funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the European Union (EU), aimed at strengthening farmers organization (FOs) providing services to its small-scale farmers in Asia covering countries in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines) and East, Central and South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan). The program aimed at empowering FOs to provide economic services/livelihood support to their member, engage effectively in policy dialogues, and strengthen themselves as credible and reliable service providers to small-scale women, men, and young farmers. APFP-FO4A is implemented through the consortium Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and La Via Campesina (LVC).
The event is also supported by the Strengthening the Implementation of Regional and Local Peace and Development Agendas in Mindanao (SPADe) Project. AFA is implementing a project within SPADe, an initiative in Mindanao in the Philippines co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). SPADe, as part of the Mindanao Peace and Development programme (MinPAD RISE) of the EU, is dedicated to aligning the peace-building and socio-economic development goals and the overall peace and development framework. AFA’s project, “Empowering Women and Youth through Inclusive Cooperatives and Agricultural Value Chains toward Peace and Development in Mindanao,” aims to tackle gender disparities and the limited involvement of young farmers by creating opportunities for inclusion in decision-making and socio-economic development. Currently, AFA is collaborating with 21 cooperatives in Regions X, XI, XII, and XIII, alongside seven cooperative federations and CSO networks, such as AgriCOOPh and PAKISAMA, with GIZ as the lead partner. #
Re-live the First Asia-Pacific Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics! View the videos and photos through the following:
Photos:
https://www.facebook.com/AsianFarmers/photos_albums
https://www.facebook.com/apyfca
Videos:
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