Government to compensate Cordillera vegetable farmers - DA Piñol

Photo Courtesy || Manny Piñol

Cordillera - Vegetable farmers in the Cordillera region who threw away truckloads of unsold vegetables will be compensated by the government according to Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol. 

The announcement came after he had received reports from Cordillera Agriculture officials that the reason why farmers weren't able to sell their produced was due to typhoon Usman that hit the Bicol region.

Officials from the DA-CAR reported that 'traders refused to buy the vegetables delivered by the farmers to the Benguet Vegetable Trading Center because the floods in Bicol prevented them from shipping the commodities to Bicol and the Visayas'.

When Tropical Depression Usman hit Bicol region last week of December, it caused flooding to the national highways thus, preventing traders to transport vegetables.

Photo Courtesy || Manny Piñol

Although some farmers were able to sell their produce, they have sold it with a very low price.

To help the Cordillera farmers, DA Piñol said that his department and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation will conduct a validation process next week to identify those affected farmers so that they will be given appropriate insurance payment. Issuance of payment could take two weeks.

"Tomorrow, the DA and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) will start the validation process which would involve the identification of farmers who suffered losses and the estimated value of the vegetables they threw away," Piñol said.  

"I would like to assure our farmers that the administration of President Rody Duterte listens to the voices of our farmers and fishermen," he added. 

Read More

8 Young Benguet Farmers Off to Japan to Learn New Farming Techniques

Cordillera - Eight young Benguet farmers were off to Japan on Wednesday for a three-year intensive on-farm training to learn new farming techniques, modern agricultural management skills and join in farm youth activities at the Farmers Cooperative of Ehime Prefecture and in Kochi Prefecture in Japan. 

According to Philippine News Agency the participants came from different municipalities of Benguet. They are Rufino Budoyan Jr. of Bokod; Francis Galuten and Gentar Manicawa, both of Mankayan; Rico Wakat of Sablan; Hardy Bua-eg of Bugias; Vincent Comila of Bakun; Arman Caris of Kapangan; and Febie Ann Mayames of Kibungan. 

The trainees will take the course that is part of the Young Filipino Farmers Training in Japan (YFFTPJ) Program which is conceived to provide training opportunities for young men and women engaged in agriculture to help improve Benguet's agriculture through exchanges in technology and farming methods. 

Read Also: Two towns in Japan need 32 farmers from Benguet

Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPAG) supervising agriculturist Delinia Juan said the program will encourage young farmers into agriculture by helping them acquire new agricultural techniques, experience life in a foreign country, and strengthen their foreign language skills. 

When they return home, the trainees are expected to bring a new level of expertise that will assist them in their work and share with their fellow farmers in the provinces. 

Read More

Two towns in Japan need 32 farmers from Benguet

Cordillera - Two towns in Japan are in need of farmers from the province of Benguet under the Young Farmers Exchange Program. 

22 men and two women farmers are needed in Kochi Prefecture while 8 men and two women are needed in Nagano Prefecture.

The two towns in Kochi Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture will be training 32 farmers under the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP). 

Read Also: JOB VACANCY: DENR-CAR needs workers for its regional and field offices. 

The successful farmers for Kochi who will pass the final interview scheduled in December 2017 will be sent to Japan in August 2018 and January 2019.

Meanwhile, farmers who will be sent to Nagano Prefecture will have their final interview in July 2017 and they will be dispatched to Japan by March 2018.

The Japanese Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) is a program between the Japanese government and other countries aimed at accepting young and middle-aged workers who will undergo farming training in Japan. 

The program helps technical intern trainees to learn skills in Japan and improve their vocational lives by utilizing the learned skills after returning to their home countries.

To be able to participate in the Young Farmers Exchange Program offered by Japan, an applicant must be a registered voter in his/her hometown, finished High School or college with an agriculture-related course and has at least two years experience in farming. 

Read More