Young allies of agricultural extension : the infomediary campaign in Aurora, Philippines
2014
Manalo, J.A. IV | Balmeo, K.P. | Domingo, O.C. | Saludez, F.M.
There is a dearth of literature on how to engage the youth in agriculture as opposed to the innumerable of work probing into their massive migration away from the farm. While scholars have excessively examined the problem on youth outmigration from rural areas, little has been said about keeping them engaged. This paper addresses how young people can be engaged in agriculture using insights from the 'Sagot ko ang magulang ko! Isang kampanya upang hikayatin ang mga kabataang maging informediaries' (read, Surf, and Text for your parents!: a campaign to mobilized the youth as infomediaries) project implementation in the Bayanihan and Ma. Aurora National High School in Aurora province [Philippines]. Infomediaries are people who facilitate access of information. Empirical data used in this study were drawn from field work campaign cum research project, done in the two schools from April 2012 to March 2013. Participant observation, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, in-depth individual interviews and survey were used in data collection. The Actor-Network Theory and the Capability Approach provided good lenses in analyzing and properly situating the campaign. A mix of online initiatives, exposure and hands-on experience, and creative and motivational activities work in engaging young people. Study tours may help shape their minds to pursue agriculture in college. Issues on proficiency and access of young people to information and communication technology should be attended to. The school can serve as one nucleus of youth engagement in agriculture.
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