Young agripreneur advocate to speak at Agribiz Kapihan
An award-winning advocate of agri entrepreneurship will be the resource person at the January 5, 2019 Agribiz Kapihan that will be held at the Harbest Events Center at the Rizal Techno Park, Taytay, Rizal.
The event is open free to the public from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, but those interested to attend should pre-register to be assured of a seat. Pre-register with Alecci Jerez at 0946-259-3560.
The resource person is Cherrie Atilano, the founder and CEO of AGREA Agricultural Systems International, an agro-social enterprise that aims to help eradicate poverty among farming and fishing families. It particularly aims to target 4.5 million smallholder farmers and fisherfolks to enable them to cope with the effects of climate change.
AGREA is working with farmers through (1) Agripreneurship, teaching farmers to become agripreneurs, (2) Agritech, digitalizing agriculture and introducing climate change mitigation technologies for farm use, and (3) Agritourism, creating sustainable and diversified sources of income for the farmers and their families.
AGREA has been mobilizing communities, businesses, academia, local and national governments and international partners to bring an “Ecology of Dignity” to farming and fishing communities in the island of Marinduque.
Previously, Atilano worked as a consultant with the Department of Agrarian Reform and helped to form 241 cooperatives of smallholder farmers in the country. She started teaching farmers at the age of 12, has 19 years of experience in sustainable food systems from organizing smallholder farmers into sustainable cooperatives, technology transfer, developing inclusive agribusinesses, connecting farmers to market, government support and financial institutions.
Atilano, an agriculture graduate from Visayas State University, is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneur in 2017, The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service (TOWNS) Award in 2016, and first awardee of Women of the Future Social Entrepreneur in Southeast Asia, chosen as one of the Asean Emerging Leaders (ANGELS) by Channel News Asia and Visionary in Asia by Japan NHK World News.