Rise up and fight!
In a time wherein we grew up in the likes of social media and technology, it is no surprise that majority of us young people tend to shy away from agriculture, disenchanted by the wide rice fields and sugarcane views.
We are instilled to believe that farming Is an archaic lifestyle and provides limited opportunities for the youth. But no, plenty of evidence shows that agriculture businesses could give as much of a sustainable future and a harvest of growth and success as other modern-day stable jobs do, especially in countries like our own.
The Philippines is an agricultural nation, with agriculture as the backbone of our economy. Thousands of islands possessing a total of 30 million hectares of plenteous green paradises in which 47% are agricultural lands, providing for the nutrition and livelihood our citizens are in need for.
Ironically, the agricultural sector is the one that is in most need of employees. With the digital age rising, the standards of young people’s ambitions have coped up with it too, leaving the most important industry barren of workers.
Yet, it is never too late with us young people, to step up and lift our agriculture learning and importance in ways which we are famously known for doing and using: technology.
Change is coming, for the better and it starts with us.
How so?
One, the agricultural sector needs our young brain power to revamp traditional techniques, adapting to the modern era. With us in the picture, farmwork will be much lighter and easier for our elderly farmers. It’s time we give back the hard work they have done for us.
Two, with us having the vibrant knowledge of using technology, farming could be hyped up with opportunities for digital innovations. Processing products such as sugarcane and coconuts would be less of a hassle. In 2014, a combined 14.6 million metric tons and 92,000 metric tons of bananas were produced, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics through the Philippine Statistical Authority. That is when the sue of digital innovations have started to emerge. What more if we provided a much bigger hand of help now that technology has improved so much for the last three years?
Three, the agricultural sector is four times more effective in reducing poverty than the other sectors, as aforementioned, agriculture is the backbone of our economy, but without us youth providing the cares for its aches for, then we might as well crumble with the remains of our ecological status.
That is why, we need to step up our standards with farming, be more aware of what’s happening in our environment and rather than just being addicted to the internet, we must make ourselves addicted to learning about agriculture on the internet.
We must inject in our minds how crucial it is to have a sustainable agricultural industry. Unity, passion and cooperation is all that we need.
Let us polish our armor of learning, our sword of determination and our shield of awareness. Call out our fellow young soldiers and bring out the best green warriors within us, for the betterment of agriculture and the country as a whole is in our hands.
Let us rise up and fight.
AgRecoletos 