Isabela hosts pilot Farm Business School project in Isabela

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently launched the first “Farm Business School” (FBS) project in Isabela province to provide farmers some learning experience on business and market trends in their own local environment.

Regional director Marjorie Ayson said the learning process would also be interactive as the farmers would learn from each other and the facilitator would be there to guide them.

Ayson said the project is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute, United Nations-Food and Agricultural Organization and the local government unit (LGU) of Luna.

“The 35 participants who shall join the FBS are from Brgy. Sto. Domingo, Luna, Isabela, which is a vegetable farm area,” said municipal agrarian reform program officer Luthgarda Sibbaluca.

During the launch, Isabela Vice Governor Antonio Albano and municipal mayor Jaime Atayde welcomed the project and expressed their support for its successful implementation.

“We are very lucky to have our province picked as pilot area for this project among all other potential areas. This will be a big help in impro-ving the farmers’ livelihood. Do not worry about the funds, DAR, and the LGU of Luna will provide what are needed from training up to implementation.” Atayde said.

Vice Gov. Albano encouraged the landowners to join Isabela’s “Farmers’ Congress” in order to be oriented with the available services and assistance offered by the provincial government unit for farmers.

Imelda Guillermo, assistant center director at DA-ATI, said the FBS would help the farmers respond to market challenges that are associated with the Asean integration in 2016 in which products from neighboring Asian countries would enter the Philippine market and vice versa.