28 farmers graduate from DAR’s Farm Business School

At least 28 farmers graduated from the region’s first Farm Business School (FBS) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) during a ceremony held on December 3 in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.

The graduates, who were taught modern farming practices and basic business concepts, are from areas covered by the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in Barangays San Andres and San Roque in Sarrat.

According to Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Victor Ines, agriculture technicians taught the farmers how to properly plant vegetables and how to do market matching.

“The school trained them on various entrepreneurial skills and advance farming practices so they can properly manage their produce as they go out in the market,” said Ines.

DAR, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, initiated the FBS which also teaches farmer-students essential matters on bookkeeping, cash flows, market surveys, selling and costing and proper packaging of their products.

Meanwhile, the local government of Sarrat, headed by Mayor Edito Balintona, pledged to provide more marketing opportunities for the farmers. (Jorge P. Guerrero)