ABOUT 30 farmers graduated from the Farm Business School of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) during a ceremony held early this week in Barangay Tentay, Sara, Iloilo.
The graduates are farmer-members of the Nagka-isa Agrarian Reform Cooperative.
They were taught modern farming practices and basic business concepts for 25 sessions.
The Farm Business School is a venue that brings farmers together to carry out collective and collaborative inquiry to address business and marketing problems and opportunities.
“Basically, the project covers the FBS organization and management, capacity development, tracking, assessment, learning and knowledge sharing, market survey, benchmarking and process review,” the DAR said.
Sara mayor Ermelita Salcedo sent Darna Daitoc to represent her during the graduation rites on Nov. 5.
Salcedo said farmers – especially women – should be empowered to help their husbands in earning income for the family. They should nurture their capacity of becoming more independent and not just be mere dependents of their husbands especially in the financial aspects, she added.
Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer Sally Paulin – in behalf of Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Lucrecia Taberna – congratulated the graduates and said that DAR is very happy that more farmers were trained to become not only entrepreneurs but also farmer scientists for they are taught with the capacity to develop skills and strategies to make their farm more productive.
Moreover, Sara Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Celina Candoleta reminded graduates to “walk their talk” that there is money in farming.
One of the graduates, Elsa Aguenido – who was also recognized for her perfect attendance – said she did not only learn proper farming techniques and strategies but also had a “great chance” to bond with her fellow agrarian reform beneficiaries.
She also encouraged everybody to undergo such training and grab all the opportunities that may come their way especially coming from different government agencies.
In the province of Iloilo, FBS has been implemented since 2015 in Barangays San Julian in Badiangan, Barangay Tampucao in Lambunao, and Barangay Tapacon in Bingawan with a total of 149 graduates./PN
