By Creselda T. Yunsal
The average age of farmers in the country is 57 years old. It is ironic to note that while agricultural land squeezes in size and so does our farming age. With the challenges posed by climate change, agriculture nowadays faces problem no longer in fertilizer and soil amendments but in labor force as seen in increasing cost in labor. While the Philippines is categorized as an agricultural country, less and lesser number of our students and youth are getting interested in farming and agriculture. This then posts a dilemma in the agricultural sector. The question as to who will continue to farm our lands and produce for the entire population is now starting to balloon.
Atlas Fertilizer Corporation as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and as the ONLY fertilizer company in the country that strives in teaching the farmers the RIGHT way to manage their farm resources by taking into consideration the NEEDS of the crop is towards the objective of making our youth sector particularly the students realize the importance of farming and that there is money in agriculture.
With the burgeoning presence of call centers and other industries, our students seemed to slowly neglect that what Philippines is all about is agriculture. This is high time for our educational system to realize that while majority of the student population and their parents urged their children to go into engineering and other courses demanded outside of the country, we have to safeguard our own means of survival—-how to do that?—we have to improve agriculture. When is the best time? NOW.
Aiming to rekindle the desire of the youth to engage in farming, the Transgenerational loyalty program of AFC is so far the BEST innovation the company has in the fulfillment of its Corporate Social Responsibility. As the youth are considered the hope of the motherland, their interest in tilling the soil has to be awakened by giving them tangible experience of what farming really is all about. AFC aims to make students excited by teaching them new crops to plant thus awakening their interest in tilling the soil. This program further aspires to educate students that farming is an art and a business where they own their time and decision-making largely depends on them.
Finally, with the dedicated implementers of this present vision of the company, Atlas Fertilizer Corporation is on the challenge to give students a wholesome farming experience to stir their interest in agriculture to revive the country’s farming age. With the development of comprehensive lessons accompanied with support and enthusiasm of everyone in the company there in NO DOUBT we would achieve what we all envisioned for…
