Atotal of 32 farmer-members of the San Juan Producers Association (SJPA) in Alegria, Surigao del Norte, are now ready for the much-needed upgrade from mere farmers to farmer-entrepreneurs as they finally graduate from the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) Farm Business School (FBS).
DAR OIC-Provincial head Maria Elizabeth De Guzman said the FBS aims to develop the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) into agricultural entrepreneurs to promote farming as one of the businesses where ARBs could draw big earnings.
“This activity aims to help the farmers upgrade their knowledge and skills in developing competitive farm enterprises that will open opportunities for them to earn more,” she said.
De Guzman disclosed the 32 ARBs were trained on various entrepreneurial skills and advanced farming practices covering a total of 25 sessions.
She said that the FBS has empowered the participants to make the lands awarded to them by the DAR change their lives and the lives of others by properly managing their lands and their products in terms of marketing their various crops.
“Your active participation in this activity shows that you are now ready for the challenge that awaits you as you are now one step ahead to become Agripreneurs!,” she said.
The FBS can be compared to an educational system designed to provide the farmers with techniques to maximize their agricultural products to earn more profit, learn marketing strategies, and other opportunities to uplift their living conditions.