“When starting your own business, set your mindset right to start right.” 

This was what renowned farmer-scientist  Darwin Tinasas, who specializes in goat farming technology and artificial insemination, emphasized during his talk in a webinar titled “Agribusiness Opportunities: Starting Your Own Agriventure” organized by Ateneo’s Green-Agripreneurs for Renewable & Eco-friendly Enterprises Society (AGREES) yesterday via Google Meet.

Tinasas urged young entrepreneurs not to be foolish over easy money saying that [we] must not rush into it. 

“Don’t rush into it. Don’t be fooled by easy money, a lot of people have been scammed because of that.” he said. 

He then enumerated his experiences in pursuing his agricultural venture explaining that before his goat farm became a success, his humble beginnings include planting and selling crops such as rice, corn, and durian. 

Tinasas’ talk then tackled the basics of starting up an agribusiness, goat farming and milk production, product innovation, and the challenges commonly encountered in agribusiness.

Uplifting Agribusiness Opportunities 

AGREES President Michelle Coleene Li expressed her glee upon the success of the webinar. 

“It has been overwhelming for us that many attendees outside the AGREES club joined us in the webinar. We have reached 87 participants to be exact.”

According to Li,  the event was originally meant to be exclusive for Agribusiness students however upon seeing numerous inquiries from outsiders, they decided to open the webinar for all. 

Li further explained the importance of the webinar for the Agribusiness community saying that “the event is essential to us and the Ateneo community because the agriculture industry has often been under-appreciated and taken for granted.”

“There are many untapped potentials found in the industry, but young people do not consider agriculture a viable profession anymore. One could think that agriculture is just about tending the crops and livestock, but agriculture is so much beyond that.” she added. 

3rd year BS Agribusiness student Johannes Dane Peñero on the  hand shared  his realizations from the topic discussed in the webinar. 

“For me as an agribusiness student who is planning to have a business na in line sa agriculture or mag proceed ba into livestock farming—well, you need patience talaga and knowledgeable enough [ka] para sa business mo for the future, and dapat if mag business ka sa agriculture meron ka dapat contingency plans para sa mga what if na i-face mo” 

In pursuit of broadening students’ knowledge in technological advancements focused on  developmental efforts in the agriculture industry to ensure food security and sustainability, AGREES invited Darwin Tinasa, a seafarer turned herdsman who worked as a private sector volunteer of the Siyentista under the DA PCARRD-DOST Techno Pinoy Program and whose research studies focused on ruminants and poultry has been nationally recognized.