Monday, January 8, 2018

27 ARBs from Alcala, Cagayan Graduate from Farm Business School


       Some 27 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries were able to complete the several sessions on the Farm Business School (FBS) training (on Pinakbet vegetables production and marketing) facilitated by the Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office of Cagayan-Batanes (DARPO Cagayan-Batanes) and the Local Government Unit of Alcala, Cagayan (LGU-Alcala) sometime in December 2017 at the Eastern Alcala Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in barangay San Esteban, Alcala, Cagayan.
      The Farm Business School aims to equip the participating farmer beneficiaries with skills and knowledge in adding value to their commodities to command higher premium. In addition, they are trained how to market their products to maximize their income.
      After a model is selected and participants are gathered, the FBS proceeded with its three stages: (1) Diagnosis and planning – includes getting to know the farmers and the farmers getting to know each other, teaching basic business concepts, market assessment analysis (SWOT – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats); (2) Implementing – Farmers develop a vision and a goal for their farm business and then work with the trainers to develop a business plan; continue with business education; and (3) Evaluating and re-planning – Benefits and performance are assessed, an action plan is developed and participants prepare for the next season.
    The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) started setting up farm business schools (FBS) in selected communities in different provinces. It is designed to transform farmer-beneficiaries from producers of raw farm goods to becoming agri-entrepreneurs.
   Agrarian Reform Beneficiries (ARBs) are also taught overall farm management techniques, from production to marketing, to increase and ensure the quality of their harvests, raise their income by learning the proper time and specific crops to be produced to avoid flooding the market with similar crops resulting to low prices. It is also aligned with the goal of attaining food security, improving the small farmers’ access to the market and increasing their income by selling their produce at the proper time.  
       The FBS is being supported by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The initial success of the project led to its being replicated in more areas nationwide. /cds



Republic Act No. 9700: Once a CLOA, always a CLOA title.

  A lot of people who desire to buy agricultural lands often ask: Can a Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), which is also a TCT titl...