There are 31 certified farm entrepreneurs which were produced by the Farm Business School (FBS) program of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
“The FBS program is a unique educational system designed to help farmers learn and improve their knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship and farm business management,” report from Philippine News Agency reported.
The certified farm entrepreneurs graduated last November 11,2019.
“The course offered dual training on high-value crops farming and business management to enable students to manage their agri-business enterprises,” DAR spokesperson, Cleon Lester Chavez.
“Hands-on tutoring on basic farm recording, bookkeeping, and accounting courses, new farming techniques, starting from land preparation and planting to harvesting and marketing were taught to the farmers,” the report said.
Respectively, farmers are selling their produce in their community but they could not realize if they gain or lose.
“We are very lucky as recipients of the DAR’s Farm Business School because we were taught on the preparation of a farm business plan that serves as our guide in farming,” said Sheila Patong, one of the graduates.
Apart from providing certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) to applicants, the program also seeks to empower farmers by incorporating business in the system.
Agriculture Undersecretary Cheryl Natividad-Caballero emphasized that the success of farmers lies as well on marketing their harvests.
“The graduates are members of the Pide Aguid Fedilisan Multi-purpose cooperative, Aguid Gardeners Organization, O-ong Producers Association, and Guesang Farmers Organization, Inc., all from Sagada, Mountain Province,” report stated.
Provincial agrarian reform program officer Adela Damaso urged the graduates to apply their learnings and ensure the success of their respective businesses.
“Recording farm inputs and outputs, expenses and sales would help farmers realize that farming is not only about producing but a complete business enterprise, adding that they “need to be responsible in minimizing wastage while ensuring a good harvest,” Damaso explained.