Negros Occidental festival highlights youth exodus from fields

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – In a quiet upland village on Negros Island, farmers paraded carabaos and wooden carts in a festival that doubled as a warning: the province that feeds millions is running out of farmers.

The Karo Festival, held on Monday, February 9 in Barangay Manghanoy in La Castellana town, Negros Occidental, was conceived three years ago to honor upland farmers and the carabao-drawn carts that have long symbolized food production in the Philippines.

But local officials say the celebration also shows a deepening problem — few young people want to take over the fields.

“Who will replace our farmers if no one from the younger generations dares to inherit farming?” La Castellana Vice Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said.

Mangilimutan said many young Negrenses now prefer jobs in business process outsourcing firms, retail and fast-food chains, drawn by steady pay and urban lifestyles.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the concern is justified.

Engineer Albert Barrogo, DA director for the Negros Island Region, said most farmers in Negros are aged 57 and above, raising fears of a labor gap in coming years.

“Who will replace them? That’s the problem,” he said.

Provincial records show only 233 government scholars in Negros Occidental are enrolled in agriculture-related courses, less than 1% of the province’s 2.68 million population, based on the 2024 census.

Agriculture also struggles with stigma, Barrogo said, with many students opting for degrees in engineering, nursing, information technology and maritime studies, or seeking immediate employment in call centres and service industries.

This concern comes as Negros Occidental, one of the country’s top sugar producers, faces falling sugar prices and growing competition for land. The province hosts 659.5 megawatts of solar power projects across several towns and cities, developments critics said are gradually reducing agricultural areas.

Food security could be at risk if the trend continues, officials warn.

In response, the DA has launched programs aimed at rebranding farming as a modern, profitable enterprise. One initiative, the Young Farmers Challenge, targets aspiring farmers aged 18 to 30 and provides training in entrepreneurship and business management.

Universities are also adapting. The University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City has revamped its agribusiness program to integrate profit-oriented models and business strategy. The school currently has 90 agribusiness students, up 20% from the previous academic year, according to faculty member Jaime II Cinon.

Barrogo said reversing perceptions about farming will take time but is urgent.

“We need to move now to search for young Negros farmers who will continue producing food,” he said. “Otherwise, agriculture could become a dying hope.” – Rappler.com