FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEARCA establishes capability building courses for agricultural entrepreneurs to help boost productivity in mango, abaca, cacao, herbal medicine
September 28, 2018
Government research partner SEARCA has established capability building courses for trainers and agricultural entrepreneurs as part of helping boost productivity in mango, abaca, cacao, and herbal-medicinal products.
The training for trainers and farmer-entrepreneurs will beef up skills of Filipino farmers-businessmen in ensuring their farms thrive as profit-making businesses, rather than mere source of sustenance.
The course is called “Financial Viability and Profitability Analysis of New Technologies and Enterprises under the High Value Crops Development Program.”
SEARCA also supported the publication of an investment guide of the Bureau of Agricultural Research-Department of Agriculture (BAR-DA) with the same title. BAR launched the investment guide during its Agriculture and Fisheries Technology Forum last August 30.
“We believe that given the right opportunities, training, and innovations, farmers and fishers can be ‘agripreneurs’,” DA-BAR Executive Director Nicomedes Eleazar said.
Participants in these courses will also be trainors of agricultural entrepreneurs or support them on how to plan financial viability for businesses after training themselves first.
A higher education center formed part of ASEAN bonds, SEARCA’s major thrust is to support training of farm technologists and farm entrepreneurs as aid in agricultural progress toward ASEAN Economic Community.
It is also pushing for harmonization of skills standards of farm technicians in ASEAN through a competency certification in partnership with institutions as TESDA (Technology Education & Skills Development Authority).
It is hoped such programs will raise farm production and export of the Philippines while ensuring the future generation are lured into becoming farmers and agriculture businessmen.
Those that already completed the program include agriculture technocrats of Department of Agriculture (DA) and DA- attached agencies staff, state universities and colleges in 16 selected projects funded by DA-BAR, and farm managers.
The topics include subjects studied in Business Management courses– cost and return analysis, partial budget analysis, break-even analysis, and financial cash flow analysis.
SEARCA has supported personnel training for 16 projects of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR).
The following are the 16 DA-BAR funded projects:
• Development of Commercial-Scale Belt-Type Dryer with Combination Far-Infrared and Convection Heating for Rapid Drying of Mango Slices
• Conservation, Evaluation, and Commercialization of Batuan (Garcinia binucao) in Region V (Masbate and Sorsogon)
• Lotus R&D for Region 3: Production Technology Generation for Food and Non-Food Products, Aesthetics, and Medicinal Purposes
• Village-level Processing, Technology Development, and Promotion of Katmon (Dillenia philippinensis) Production and Commercialization of Abaca Yarn, Twine, and its Derived Products in Region VIII Areas
• Development and Promotion of Postharvest Equipment for Carrot Processing in BAPTC Commercialization and Marketing of Sweet Potato, Adlay, Soybean & Roselle Products & By-products in Region 10
• Development and Commercialization of Sweet Potato and Potato Products Production and Processing Technologies Development and Commercialization for Organically-Grown Cucumber and Carrots in Bukidnon
• Promotion of Organic Production Technologies for Rice and Muscovado Sugar for Smallholder Farmers and Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries
• Piloting Arabica Coffee Rooted Cuttings as Plant Materials in the Highlands Macadamia Conservation, Propagation, and Commercialization in Luzon
• Promotion of Generated Cacao Technologies and Development of New Products towards Improved Livelihood
• Promotion and Commercialization of Soya Nuggets and Soya Chunks Insta Ulam Project Development and Commercialization of Tropical Fruit-based Products (Rimas Ice Cream)
• Product Improvement and Marketing Plan for Dalanghita Nectar
Philippine government-hosted SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture is a regional treaty organization that promotes inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development through graduate education and institutional development, R&D, and knowledge management. It has been a long-time partner of DA-BAR in research, capacity building, and knowledge management projects.
Copies of the investment guide may be availed from the DA-BAR. (Melody Mendoza Aguiba-https://www.manilatimes.net/expert-ph-agri…digital…/491397/Growth Publishing for SEARCA).
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