This move aimed at also raising the incomes og farmers and fisherfolk.
During a recent meeting, Department of Agriculture (DA) Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Kiko Benitez agreed to roll out a series of updated training programs covering rice machinery operation, agri-entrepreneurship, and postharvest technologies.
Tiu Laurel said, “It was a productive meeting with Secretary Francis Kiko Benitez. We’re aligning our plans with the President’s vision for a modern, technology-driven agriculture. With new machinery, greenhouses, and improved seeds coming in, our farmers and fisherfolk must be fully equipped to handle these innovations.”
The DA-TESDA collaboration also includes specialized training on cold storage facilities, refrigeration systems, and fisherfolk postharvest and canning operations, with TESDA preparing the modules in coordination with the DA’s Fisheries Development Council.
To further professionalize the agriculture sector, TESDA will be launching new courses on cooperative management, butchery and slaughterhouse operations, and seaweed processing—all to be integrated into next year’s national curriculum.
Both agencies will also team up to establish greenhouses and nurseries for high-value crops to reduce dependence on imported seedlings, which currently supply 70 percent of the country’s needs.
Also tackled in the said meeting were concerns from farm school operators regarding the delayed release of funds under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
Moreover, TESDA proposed a comprehensive impact study on existing agricultural training programs to ensure accountability, while the DA will develop parameters to measure their effectiveness and benefits.
“Focusing our efforts on agriculture allows us to cultivate opportunities for the Filipinos. Through skills training and innovation, TESDA empowers every Filipino farmer to grow their crops with confidence in a changing world,” said TESDA Sec. Benitez.
He added, “By partnering with concerned public and private entities, we continue to strengthen our agri-fisheries programs, and ensure that the backbone of our nation continues to thrive with dignity, sustainability, and pride.”
Secretary Tiu Laurel also disclosed plans to bring back agricultural extension workers in response to the long-standing proposal supported by Senator Kiko Pangilinan.
TESDA, for its part, said it already offers halal food production training and maintains a school of fisheries to enhance coastal livelihood skills.
Furthermore, TESDA recently announced the country’s first training program in Sugarcane Production NC II, developed in partnership with the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, from which some 21 farmers and other beneficiaries have already graduated.
To ensure accessibility, TESDA delivers agri-fisheries training through multiple modalities, such as institution-, enterprise-, community-based, and online learning.
At the same time, TESDA has expanded its international collaborations for agriculture training through such partnerships with Agrostudies International Training Center-Israel that include 11-month internships focused on advanced farm technologies, horticulture, animal science and entrepreneurial initiatives.