The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said the Philippines and Turkey will launch a joint exchange program to train leaders and farmers of the newly created Bangsamoro region on modern agricultural methods.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said in a statement that Turkey, through its Ambassador to the Philippines Artemiz Sumer, has agreed to start the program in September.
He said the two countries are now preparing their own version of the draft implementing guidelines of the program, which, when finalized, may be signed by August.
The DA chief said the program will focus on grains production, dairy farming, cattle and goat raising to help farmers access the huge halal market not only in the Philippines but also in the Middle East.
“Turkey, a rich Muslim nation ranked No. 7 among the top agricultural producers in the world, yesterday [Wednesday] accepted a proposal by the Department of Agriculture for a Joint Exchange Program to train and expose leaders and farmers of the Bangsamoro region to modern agriculture in that country,” said Piñol.
Under the exchange program proposed by the DA, he said local executives from the Bangsamoro region, agriculturists and farmer leaders will undergo a seven-day short course in Turkey, which would include exposure to its modern agricultural areas.
Piñol, who will soon take over the reins of the Mindanao Development Authority, said the scholars will be divided in five batches representing the five provinces within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“As each batch of scholars go home to their province, the Turkey government, through the Turkey International Cooperation Agency, will conduct follow-through programs to ensure that what the scholars learned would be applied in their farms,” he said.
“The best way to influence the mindset of our leaders and farmers on agriculture is to expose them to good examples and benefits of modern farming technology, and the best way to do this is to show them how a Muslim country has become the seventh-largest agricultural producer in the world,” Piñol added.
According to Piñol, local officials such as governors and mayors must be involved in the program as they could serve as the catalyst of agricultural modernization in their areas.
1 comment
this is great news for farmers
farm veterinary should also be included to prevent and remedy
swine bird flus year on year