SENATOR Loren Legarda is advocating for the creation of the Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Challenge Council to rejuvenate the agricultural industry by cultivating a new generation of agri-entrepreneurs.

Legarda raised the alarm over the looming labor crisis in the Philippine agricultural sector.

“The average age of our farmers is now 53 years old. If this trend continues, we could face a critical shortage of food producers within the next decade, threatening our food security,” she warned.

She noted that nearly three out of 10 farmers and fisherfolk still live below the poverty line, making agriculture an unattractive career choice for many young Filipinos.

“We must act now to make agriculture viable, attractive, and dignified for the youth. Senate Bill 518 introduces the Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Challenge Program, a comprehensive initiative for aspiring food producers aged 15 to 40,” Legarda emphasized.

The bill proposes a range of interventions—including start-up capital, financial aid, voluntary health and retirement insurance, calamity protection, access to land, technical training, and education focused on sustainable and modern agriculture.

It also promotes youth participation in policymaking and encourages the use of climate-smart and digitally driven agricultural practices.

To ensure inclusivity, the program will reserve at least 30% of slots for young women, Indigenous youth, residents of coastal barangays, and youth from conflict-affected areas.

“We must help transition our agriculture industry to a younger generation, allowing new ideas to take root in a rapidly aging sector,” Legarda said.

“We have to break the stigma that agriculture is a last resort. Let’s transform it into a sustainable livelihood built on innovation, equity, and resilience as we move toward food security and self-sufficiency,” she concluded.