24-yr.-old from Tabuk wins second place in National Agri-Business Pitching

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Giovanni Addatu of Nambucayan, Tabuk City, won second place in the National Agri-Business Pitching organized recently by the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). 

The said competition is part of the Filipino Young Farmers Internship Program in Taiwan (FYFIPT), where the participants who completed their training presented their agricultural business proposals to a panel of judges from the DA and attached agencies. 

Proposals are evaluated based on attentiveness, sustainability, feasibility, and profitability. Giovanni, one of the 48 Filipino Young Farmers Interns who participated in the contest, impressed the judges with his proposal “Modified Hybrid Solar Flatbed Dryer for Corn,” the first ever in Cordillera. 

Giovanni, who is a three-time national awardee and an outstanding 4H club member of the Philippines (2023), entered the top 3 in the contest and was then hailed as the second-place winner. 

He received a P150,000 grant as start-up capital. 

Coming up with the idea of a “Modified Hybrid Solar Flatbed Dryer for Corn 

In an interview with Guru Press Cordillera, Giovanni shared that his proposal came from observing the real struggles of corn farmers in Kalinga and the region, where he noticed that farmers still rely heavily on open-sun drying along roadsides. 

According to him, the traditional drying method is slow and dependent on the weather, which exposes corn to dirt and pests, and when sudden rain comes, the grains get wet, and the whole drying process is wasted. 

Aside from this, he cited that the practice is also prohibited under Presidential Decree No. 17, which bans drying crops along public roads. With few available drying facilities, farmers often face post-harvest losses and cannot sell their corn at a good market price. 

With his observations, the 24-year-old came up with the modified solar dryer. The solar dryer can shorten drying time, protect corn from contamination, and maintain the quality of the grains, thus helping farmers sell their produce at a fair price. 

“I do believe that my proposed project can help the corn farmers in Kalinga by having a modified solar dryer that can shorten the drying time and maintain the good quality of corn and for them also to sell it at a market price because it’s good quality,” he relayed. 

For Giovanni, placing second at the national level is not only a personal achievement but also a recognition of the youth’s role in modern agriculture. He dedicated his award to the 4-H Club Tabuk and Kalinga, which he credits for nurturing young farmers like him into future leaders and agripreneurs. 

“It is my privilege and honor to be ranked 2 (Top 2) out of the 48 project proposals at the national level. I am forever grateful because I secured the top 2. I do believe that this recognition is more than just an award. It is a validation of my passion for agriculture and my dedication and desire to contribute meaningful innovation to my fellow young farmers,” he added.