Freeze-dried banana innovation lands VSU Agribusiness students top award in Young Farmers Challenge

A group of fourth-year Agribusiness students from Visayas State University (VSU) clinched the top spot in the Intercollegiate Category of the 2024 Young Farmers Challenge and bagged Php 250,000 for their innovative food processing concept. 

The awarding ceremony was held on May 28, 2025 at Hotel Cresencia, Leyte Normal University, Tacloban. 

The team composed of Eugene Aquino, Darah Lyn Jandayan, and Donnalyn Diaz stood out with their proposed product called DDE Crunch, a freeze-dried banana snack that addresses postharvest losses while creating a new income stream from small-scale growers. 

Their project provides an accessible and scalable model for value-adding in agriculture, directly linking farm output to market-ready goods. 

VSU alumni also received regional and provincial honors in the Start-Up Component of the same program. 

Christian Humphrey Lapeciros of Project Faith Upgraded Native Chicken Farm and Dino Mirafuentes of UGMAD ANI/BSLF each received cash awards of Php 80,000 and Php 150,000, respectively. 

Lapeciors promotes sustainable poultry farming while Mirafuentes turns household waste into farming resources through his “May Pera sa Basura” project. 

From Harvest Waste to Crunchy Innovation

Bananas, often discarded when overripe or surplus, became the raw material for DDE Crunch. The VSU students explored freeze-drying technology to transform the fruit into a nutrient rich snack with longer shelf life, reduce spoilage, and maximize farmer earnings. 

Initially, the group wanted to focus on the internationally renowned EVIARC sweet jackfruit variety, but the seasonal nature of the crop led them to pivot. Bananas, being available year-round, became the practical choice.

“We still hope to work with EVIARC jackfruit eventually, but we wanted to start with what is feasible,” said Jandayan.

Their product not only improves shelf life and taste but also offers healthier snacking alternatives. The team believes this could motivate growers to participate in sustainable farming while also attracting youth interest in agriculture.  

The concept was clear but the execution came with hurdles. Freeze-drying machines are not widely available in the Philippines, and sourcing one became a major task. 

“It took us a while to find a supplier willing to ship here. Halos tanan gikan sa US or China, and wala’y shipping padong diri sa Philippines,” Aquino explained. 

[It took us a while to find a supplier willing to ship here. Most were from the US or China, and not all offered shipping to the Philippines.]

Balancing academic responsibilities with business planning was another major hurdle that, according to Diaz, even with packed schedules, they found ways to push the project forward. 

Strategic Use of Prize for Business Launch

Of the Php 250,000, Php 180,000 is already earmarked for the purchase of their freeze-drying machine. The remaining Php 70,000 will cover rental costs for a production space, raw materials, and packaging supplies. 

The students are now preparing to bring DDE Crunch to the market. They hope their story encourages other young Filipinos to take fresh approaches to farming. 

“We want to prove that agriculture does not have to stay the same. With the right tools and creativity, it can become something sustainable, and something our fellow students and other young people want to be part of,” Jandayan said. 

Initiatives like the Young Farmers Challenge have helped make VSU a training ground for future agricultural entrepreneurs. These programs sharpen the business thinking of the students while rooting their work in the daily realities of Filipino farming communities. 

DDE Crunch represents how classroom knowledge can be applied to practical solutions that respond to pressing issues in food security, farmer income, and sustainability. 

This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and; SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

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