MANILA, Philippines - Five hundred thirty-five Filipino student-trainees were among the 1,400 students from Asia, Africa and South America of the Agrostudies On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program during the graduation ceremony held on September 2 at the International Convention Center in Haifa, Israel.
The Filipino students, who come from different agriculture university and colleges in the Philippines, completed their 11-month course of combined academic learning and practical work which exposed them to the latest agro-based technology and techniques being utilized by farms in Israel.
The students were situated in the most enabling and stimulating learning environment, allowing them to benefit from the most advanced agricultural working methods.
The program offered the Filipino students the opportunity to work in modern farms throughout Israel and study various fields such as citrus farming, horticulture, dairy, poultry and agricultural pollination employing Israeli modern technology.
The students are all preparing to return to the Philippines armed with newly gained knowledge and fresh enthusiasm to become catalysts of agricultural development in their respective communities.
Marvin Cugana, a student-trainee from the Pangasinan State University, after receiving his Agrostudies diploma, said that: “I learned a lot from the program during my stay in Israel. I am excited to apply in my community in the Philippines the many things I learned in my study and practical training in Israeli farms.”
This year is the tenth batch of Filipino student-trainees of the Agrostudies Program in Israel, with the Philippines having the most number of students, a testament of the Israeli farmers’ preference to partner with the Filipino students.
The Philippine Embassy considers the Agrostudies Program an important pillar of Philippines-Israel development cooperation in the field of agriculture.