News Details

MANILA — In a time when food security and youth empowerment are critical global concerns, a young Filipina is proving that visionary leadership and grassroots action can bring the Philippines to the center stage of global agriculture innovation. Robyn Mijares, 24, founder of Youth Uprising and Grow School Philippines, was recently honored by two prestigious international organizations for her trailblazing efforts in transforming the way Filipino youth engage with farming and food systems. Her remarkable work has earned her recognition from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Prize Foundation, placing her alongside some of the world’s brightest minds in agriculture.

At the 44th FAO Ministerial Conference held in Rome, Youth Uprising received a Special Mention under the FAO’s Champion Award category, a rare recognition given to organizations demonstrating exceptional efforts in transforming agrifood systems. The FAO lauded Mijares’ non-profit for its “intense engagement of young people in transforming agrifood systems,” making her organization a global example of how the youth can lead meaningful change in agriculture. The award highlighted the powerful impact of her work in bringing agriculture back to the forefront of youth consciousness, especially in a country like the Philippines where farming is often viewed as outdated.

Further cementing her place as a leading force in global agritech innovation, Mijares was named among the 2025 Top Agrifood Pioneers (TAP) by the World Food Prize Foundation, joining an elite group of scientists, policy advisors, entrepreneurs, and humanitarians from 27 countries. She is the only Filipina awardee this year and only the second Filipina ever recognized in this category since its launch. The Foundation praised her unique approach in blending sustainability, education, and youth empowerment — transforming classrooms into spaces where young Filipinos learn not just how to feed themselves, but how to feed communities and inspire national resilience.

Reflecting on her journey, Mijares shared how her organization’s rise from a simple high school paper to an internationally acclaimed advocacy feels less like a personal achievement and more like a shared victory for the Philippines. “This is a win for the thousands of young Filipinos proving that when empowered, the youth can lead transformative change in agriculture. This recognition strengthens my resolve to expand our mission — one school, one student at a time,” Mijares said. She affirmed her commitment to revolutionizing agriculture education, ensuring that young people see farming not as a burden but as a modern, purposeful, and rewarding career.

Grow School Philippines, known as the country’s first bamboo-built, solar-powered farm school, has already educated over 98,000 students across 42 public schools nationwide. Through hands-on, climate-smart agricultural education, the school fosters a generation of future farmers, technologists, and advocates equipped to address the country’s food security challenges. FAO Philippines Representative Lionel Dabbadie hailed Mijares’ work as “a movement with the capacity to reshape agriculture as a space of innovation, empowerment, and relevance for the next generation,” challenging the outdated perceptions that continue to hold back the sector’s progress.

With these global recognitions, Mijares sends a clear and inspiring message: the future of agriculture is in the hands of empowered, educated, and passionate young people. Her vision, born from a simple dream to feed others, is now recognized as a transformative model not only for the Philippines but for the world.

NPO News Team!