Beyond the Grant: How One Young Farmer Turned Seed Money Into a Regional Model in Cotabato Province

When the Department of Agriculture launched the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) in 2021, Dennis S. Caaya was among 55 ambitious entrants in Cotabato province eager to transform agricultural ideas into reality. Equipped with a 50,000-peso grant, he set out to build a commercial venture.

Five years later, he is one of those original competitors who remain active in the province.

"From the first batch, who is left?" Caaya asked, reflecting on the program’s early drop-out rate. "Some were enticed by the cash prize without a long-term vision. When starting a business, you have to look at sustainability."

While others pivoted away, Caaya leveraged his initial capital to found Herb Yard Herb Farm, an 800-square-meter urban model farm in Barangay Balindog, Kidapawan City. Today, the enterprise serves as a regional benchmark for organic crop production, agritourism, and community-based education.

From Campus Collector to Commercial Grower

Caaya’s journey into agriculture was not his first choice. He initially intended to study hotel and restaurant management. Influenced by his grandmother, he ultimately enrolled in the Bachelor in Agricultural Technology program at Southern Christian College in Midsayap.

While serving as a work scholar and leading the local 4-H Club from 2012 to 2017, Caaya developed an interest in plant collection, gathering herb specimens during field trips.

After graduation, he gained commercial experience working as an agricultural sales agent in Davao City and as a farm supervisor on Samal Island. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, he recognized a surge in local demand for culinary and medicinal herbs.

Caaya resigned in 2021 to focus full-time on Herb Yard Herb Farm. Rather than limiting his output to herbs, he reinvested his YFC grant into high-value vegetable seedlings, native crops, and ornamental plants.

Building Certified Operations

To secure market access, Caaya focused on meeting regulatory standards. Herb Yard earned certification through the Participatory Guarantee System and secured Philippine Good Agricultural Practices accreditation.

These credentials allowed Caaya to establish direct supply chains, delivering fresh herbs and produce to four local coffee shops, three regional resellers, and hotels.

"You cannot rely on temporary trends," Caaya said. "You must understand the business, maintain product traceability, and assure customers of natural processes."

In 2022, Caaya expanded into meliponiculture—the keeping of stingless bees—after participating in training organized by the local government of Kidapawan and the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Managing native Tetragonula biroi and Tetragonula libasip species, he integrated raw honey production alongside his crop lines.

His efforts earned him regional and national recognition. For instance, Caaya was named the Outstanding Farmer in Crop Production at the 2026 Provincial Organic Agriculture Achievers Awards in Cotabato province.

Community Outreach and Future Expansion

Beyond commercial production, Caaya uses his farm as an educational hub. He regularly hosts agricultural interns and trains local organizations, including the Landeral Home Association, teaching households to convert kitchen waste into organic fertilizer.

In collaboration with the Department of Education’s Kidapawan City Division, Caaya trains school coordinators on sustainable vegetable production for the "Gulayan sa Paaralan" program, supplying schools with open-pollinated seed varieties.

Through the Department of Trade and Industry, he has received technical assistance in product labeling, packaging, and trade linkages. He now plans to construct a dedicated processing facility on-site to streamline value-added products, including beeswax-based air fresheners, natural soaps, and ube kinampay (purple yam) seedlings.

Despite operational challenges, such as unpredictable weather patterns that require continuous investment in greenhouse infrastructure, Caaya continues to expand his farm's footprint. His long-term goal is to secure formal Department of Tourism accreditation as an agritourism and learning site under the Agriculture Training Institute.

"Agriculture is a platform," Caaya said. "It sustains my family, but it also allows us to build up the community around us."