A total of one hundred eighteen (118) officials and staff from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), representatives from local government units (LGUs), and agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) organizations graduated from the course on “Agro-enterprise Development (AED) Integrated Learning Session” conducted by the DAR for seven (7) months.

The DAR, through the Support Services Office (SSO), recognized the graduates during the "Online Agro-enterprise Development (AED) Integrated Learning Session cum Recognition Program."

Atty. Milagros Isabel A. Cristobal, Undersecretary for SSO, said the agro-enterprise facilitators are instrumental in the economic empowerment of the farmers and in facilitating the launching of agro-enterprise projects in the countryside.

“Now, you are part of the DAR-certified agro-enterprise facilitators who are expected to encourage more ARBs to join clusters to increase their production and engage in marketing agreements with institutional markets,” Cristobal said.

She said the participants in this course engaged in an interactive discussion on the relevance, effectiveness, and initial impact of the AED projects with the microfinance complementation approach.

“Consistent with the thrust of the current administration, we expect your wholehearted support through the Linking Smallholder Farmers to Market with Microfinance (LinkSFarMM) program as well as the other program beneficiaries' development intervention of the Department, “ she said.

Ronald M. Gareza, Director of the Bureau of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development (BARBD) congratulated the 118 graduates, stating that the certificates will serve as a testament to how they utilized and applied the knowledge and skills to help the ARBs and smallholder farmers in planning and systemizing their production and introducing them to effective market engagements.

“It is the first step that will lead you in helping transform the lives of the ARBs and smallholder farmers to become better farmer-entrepreneurs,” he said.

He stressed that despite the challenges, the efforts in applying the learnings gained from the AED Course bore fruit with the 32 project sites launched now adapting the AED clustering approach in their agricultural activities.

May kabuuang isang-daan at labing-walong (118) opisyal at kawani mula sa Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), mga kinatawan mula sa local government units (LGUs) at agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) organizations ang nagtapos sa kursong “Agro-enterprise Development (AED) Integrated Learning Session” na isinagawa ng DAR sa loob ng pitong (7) buwan.

Kinilala ng DAR, sa pamamagitan ng Support Services Office (SSO), ang mga nagsipagtapos sa "Online Agro-enterprise Development (AED) Integrated Learning Session cum Recognition Program."

Sinabi ni Atty. ni Milagros Isabel A. Cristobal, Undersecretary ng SSO, na ang mga agro-enterprise facilitators ay instrumento para mapalakas ang ekonomiya ng mga magsasaka at mapadali ang paglulunsad ng mga agro-enterprise projects sa kanayunan.

“Ngayon, kayo ay bahagi na certified agro-enterprise facilitators ng DAR na inaasahang hihikayat ng mas maraming ARB na sumali sa mga cluster upang madagdagan ang kanilang produksyon at makisali sa mga kasunduan sa pagbebenta ng kanilang mga produkto sa mga institutional na mamimili,” ani Cristobal.

Sinabi niya na ang mga kalahok sa kursong ito ay nakikibahagi sa interactive na talakayan tungkol sa kaugnayan, bisa at paunang epekto ng mga proyekto ng AED na may kasamang diskarte sa komplementasyon ng microfinance.

“Alinsunod sa direksyon ng kasalukuyang administrasyon, inaasahan namin ang inyong buong pusong suporta sa pamamagitan ng Linking Smallholder Farmers to Market with Microfinance (LinkSFarMM) program gayundin ang iba pang program beneficiaries development intervention ng ahensya,” aniya.

Binati ni Ronald M. Gareza, Director ng Bureau of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development (BARBD) ang 118 na mga nagtapos, at sinabing na ang mga sertipiko ay magsisilbing testamento kung paano nila ginamit ang kanilang kaalaman at kasanayan upang matulungan ang mga ARB at maliliit na magsasaka sa pagpaplano at sistema ng kanilang produksyon at pagpapakilala sa kanila sa mas epektibong pakikipag-ugnayan sa merkado.

"Ito ang unang hakbang na hahantong sa inyong sa pagtulong sa pagbabago ng buhay ng mga ARB at maliliit na magsasaka upang maging mas mabuting magsasakang-negosyante," aniya.

Binigyang-diin niya na sa kabila ng mga hamon, ang pagsisikap sa paggamit ng mga natutunan nila mula sa AED Course, ay nagbunga na dahil ang mga nabuong 32 project sites ay inaangkop na ang ang clustering approach sa kanilang mga aktibidad sa agrikultura.