A pioneering workshop series has empowered 22 young leaders from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to become digital advocates for sustainable agriculture, culminating in a presentation of their social media campaigns on May 15 to 16, 2025 in Baguio City.
The “Social Media for Sustainable Agriculture: Enhancing Youth Engagement and Innovation” workshop equipped participants with the skills to leverage online platforms for agricultural development and policy advocacy.
The initiative, a capstone project by Project Development Section (PDS) Chief Jahensi Supanga under the Public Management Development Program Middle Managers Class Batch 34 at the Development Academy of the Philippines, aimed to bridge the gap between youth and agricultural policy-making through digital engagement.
“It has always been part of PCAF’s goal that someday our youth sector will be fully engaged, not directly in the implementation of programs and projects of the agriculture sector, but more on developing policies for the improvement of the sector,” said Administrative, Financial and Management Division (AFMD) Chief Cyril Soliaban, Supanga’s institutional partner and a key driver of the program.
The workshop kicked off with a survey and focused group discussions conducted on March 19 to 20, designed to assess the Cordilleran youth’s existing knowledge and interest in agriculture and their perception of social media’s role in the sector.
From April 8 to 11, selected 27 participants underwent training from field experts. Topics included crucial insights into:
- Digital Literacy and Cybersecurity: Led by Francheska Angela Louise Gonzales, Head Executive Assistant of the Office of the Director-General and Chairperson of the Media and Information Literacy of the Philippine Information Agency, addressing the responsible use of digital platforms.
- Content Creation for Impact and Tailored Social Media Strategy: Discussed by Assistant Professor Benigno Agapito, Jr., Chairperson of the faculty of Information and Communication Program of the University of the Philippines-Open University, focusing on effective communication for agricultural advocacy.
- Platform Management and Analytics: Presented by Eunille Santos, Digital Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines, providing insights into optimizing online presence.
- Digital Networking and Knowledge Sharing: Social media influencer Jonas Tayaban shared his personal experience and strategies for building an online community.
- Policy Advocacy through Social Media and Partnership Building: Covered by PCAF Project Development Officer Carmelo Jr. Arce, empowering youth to influence agricultural policies.
A core component of the capacity-building involved participants creating new Facebook pages dedicated to sustainable agriculture, innovations, or agri-related advocacies. They were given one month to develop and post content, putting their newly acquired skills into practice.
After the evaluation based on content quality and audience engagement, the team of experts, alongside PDS Chief Supanga and AFMD Chief Soliaban, recognized the most impactful campaigns:
Highest Engagement:
- Sow What? Team: Junel Wacnisen, Femy Akiapat, and Jane Congao
Second Highest Engagement:
- DA CAR Integrated Laboratory Division team: Cherryl Lem-Ew, Olivia Olaget, Camille Eque, Kizy Aquino, Chona Sakiwat, Marilou Salavaria, Urchris Doyayag, and Marianne Gaspar
Third Highest Engagement:
Consolation Prizes:
Beyond the social media training, the program also introduced participants to the Agricultural and Fishery Youth Council (AFYC), further integrating them into existing networks for agricultural development.
“The initiative marks a significant step towards cultivating a digitally-savvy generation of agricultural advocates in the Cordillera, ensuring their voices are heard in shaping a more sustainable and innovative future for Philippine agriculture,” Soliaban added. | Jezebel Campaniel
