BUTUAN CITY -- Two Mentoring and Attracting Youth in Agribusiness (MAYA) Interns from the Department of Agriculture (DA) - Caraga clinched two awards during the MAYA Awards of the DA - Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), which concluded on Wednesday, June 30.

Ana Fe Daal from Buenavista, Agusan del Norte with her agribusiness proposal “Tablea Processing and Marketing,” emerged as one of the Ten Winners of the Category Success Begins at 40K: Best MAYA Agribusiness Plan.

Daal, who chose the entrepreneurship track highlighted that she wanted to upgrade the commodity that she was very familiar through her proposal.

In an interview made through the Kabataang Agrisibo, Progresibo, an online program of DA-Caraga, Daal underscored that if given the chance after her stint in the MAYA program, she would venture into cacao farming.

“One of the reasons that pushed me to pursue tablea is because, as a daughter of a cacao farmer, i have seen the opportunities that we can get out from it. Through correct processing and marketing, it will create a ripple effect in the community i live in and more opportunities on tablea processing will come through,” Daal said.

Further, Michael Troza from Ampayon, Butuan City was also awarded as the Best MAYA Intern for Caraga Region.

Daal will receive P40,000 (gross of tax) as start-up capital for her proposed agribusiness plan. Meanwhile, Trozo will receive a cash prize of P7,500.

All interns assigned in different regional field offices, bureaus, and attached agencies were also acknowledged in the event. Sixteen of which were from DA-Caraga.

The 2021 MAYA Awards recognizes the outstanding interns’ learnings and efforts throughout the duration of the program. This will also serve as an avenue to encourage and inspire other young Filipinos to venture into agripreneurship and get involved in the agri-fishery sector. (DA-RFO XIII, RAFIS/PIA-Caraga)