Youth’s Anthem for Change and Climate Justice
My journey from the cities to the countryside was a transformative ride which urged me to take a stand for climate and social justice. I am Pau, 26, from the Philippines. Along with my organization, we take pride in our work as peasant advocates. It all started from a few development courses analyzing the living conditions of the people and discussing major global issues, until I had the opportunity to visit rural communities where I witnessed firsthand how degradation of nature, landlessness, and worsening climate conditions alarmingly affect the farmers. This prompted me to have a shift in perspective and act in solidarity with them towards genuine land reform, rural development, and climate justice.
Growing up in the city, climate change as a concept seemed distant—a term we would often discuss academically. The contrast between the urban comfort and the harsh realities faced by farmers deeply moved me. I witnessed the dry fields worsened by lacking irrigation, changing weather patterns, and hard labor from those who till the land.
Seeing how the farmers tirelessly plow the land but reap nothing but hunger and debt has inspired me to do something with all my capacity as a youth. It seems right to devote my time and energy in advocating for climate change. We see ourselves as agents bridging the gap between the distant urban youth and rural communities united by the challenges of climate change and underdevelopment.
Our project Bagsakan Kabataan is driven on mobilizing rural and urban youth in partnership with farmers and rural women. One objective is to upscale and promote agroecology and climate action in the Philippines through youth-led organic farmer markets. The project aims to address the vulnerability of the agriculture sector to the impacts of climate change and promote sustainable development in the Philippines. We can achieve this through (1) engaging urban and rural youth in supporting organic farmers and food producers; (2) encouraging and supporting agroecological and sustainable practices among farmers; (3) aiding in building momentum for policy support to agroecology, and; (4) building youth and public awareness on agroecology and climate change, actions, adaptation, and mitigation. By promoting agroecological farming practices, the project seeks to contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation, food security, and sustainable livelihoods and raise public awareness and youth engagement.
This is highly significant given that the majority of the Filipinos are landless farmers who are highly vulnerable to hunger and poverty worsened by climate change. It has caused extreme weather events, such as typhoons, floods, and droughts, which have resulted in crop damage, economic losses, and food insecurity across the globe.
Hence, our project aims to catalyze youth action in developing and sustaining local agroecological fairs and farmer markets in more cities and rural areas in the Philippines. The project seeks to engage and mobilize urban and rural youth to lead local initiatives and contribute to the sustainable development of their communities.
More than a pop-up market, these youth-led agroecological fairs also include sharing sessions between youth, consumers, and farmers on food, land, and human rights issues, urban gardening, and climate action. Cultural presentations are also a highlight of these fairs, including songs, poetry, and theater plays.
The harsh conditions of our farmers are a constant reminder of the urgency to address climate change. In one community of farmers in Bulacan we visited, their vegetable farm was completely destroyed by a series of typhoons back in the year 2022. Seeing that, we maintained our engagement with their community and organized a fair centered on selling their local produce. Stories like this remind us of our vision; to contribute in achieving a prosperous harvest for the farmers, sharing sustainable practices, and engaging the youth and farmers binded by one cause.
Because of initiatives such as Youth4Climate, the youth like us are being empowered to shape the future we want to see for our community. As youth, we carry such idealism which pushes us to take a stand and aim for a better world most especially for the marginalized. It is significant for us to be supported through capacity building and financial support in order to materialize our aspirations for change.
Now, we are experiencing global drastic changes. We see our environment rapidly deteriorating in front of our eyes while farmers are being withdrawn from their lands not just by usurpers but also by climate change. But there’s still hope. As these initiatives take root, imagine the ripple effect—a surge in agroecological fairs, a flourishing embrace of sustainable farming practices, and a heightened consciousness on climate change and agroecology. By engaging youth to support farmers—we’re sowing the seeds of a sustainable future.
– Pau Asuncion