Nowadays, young people prefer courses that will give them greater and faster economic opportunities after college than taking up agriculture. In this line, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), together with the Department of Education’s Bureau of Secondary Schools and the CGIAR’s Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security research program, initiated the “Infomediary Campaign in the Philippines” with the primary aim of engaging more youth in agriculture.

Specifically, this action-research project sought to: create alternative communication pathways in agricultural extension; bring back the love for rice farming and its science among young people; and promote agriculture as a viable career option for college.

With more than three years of implementing the Infomediary Campaign, PhilRice developed this book that centers on their experiences in running the project and its outcomes to the intended beneficiaries. The Youth & Agriculture book covers topics from the campaign’s history, objectives, components and activities, methodology, to its outcomes and the implementers’ reflections.

Written by the pioneers of the project – Jaime Manalo IV, Katherine Balmeo, Jayson Bert and Fredierick Saludez – this book is a great reference material on strategies in involving young people in agriculture. It also serves as an eye-opener for agricultural students, workers in the agricultural extension and community development, development communication students and practitioners, and 4-Hers nationwide.