Phyllis Rhoda D. Balao-as
"Vibrant Agriculture is Key to Faster Recovery and Poverty Reduction" (World Bank Press Release 2020)
One of the goals of technical and vocational schools is to let more of the youth appreciate and take part in the field of agriculture aside from other vocational courses/skills trainings.
Agriculture is the method of growing crops by using land, water, seeds, and other matters. We cannot consider human lifestyles without agriculture as it affords fundamental necessities like meals for us to live a healthful life. On the side of that, agriculture performs many vital roles in our day-to-day life and affords several blessings. Hence, it increases the importance of agriculture in our lives. In particular, in most nations majority of humans depend upon the agriculture sector for their livelihood. (https://www.bfitdoon.com/)
The World Bank fully supports the agriculture program of our country to transform into a dynamic, high-growth sector essential for the country to speed up recovery, poverty reduction, and inclusive growth. It means transforming the country's farming and food systems as more important to ensure food value chains, affordable and nutritious food, and a vibrant rural economy.
Transforming agriculture and food systems is always challenging. The country's vision for agriculture with its current thrust for use of modern technologies, and its effective management of food supply indicate the country is on its way to becoming more well-equipped to overcome the challenge.
It is the supposed vision of the Department of Agriculture to have a food-secure and resilient country with prosperous farmers and fisherfolks. Realizing this vision will require dedicated efforts among major agri-fishery industry stakeholders, to continuously empower farmers, fisherfolk, agricultural entrepreneurs, and the private sector to increase agricultural productivity and profitability, taking into account sustainability and resilience. (Sec. William Dar)
Interventions like farm consolidation (including cooperative farming schemes), better extension services, e-commerce and investments in agribusiness start-ups can further advance the modernization of the country's agriculture.
“These paradigm shifts will be crucial to meet the emerging domestic and global market opportunities while creating jobs, raising farmer incomes and ensuring the food security needs of the country and meeting the new challenges of climate change,” said Dina Umali-Deininger, World Bank Practice Manager for Agriculture and Food for East Asia and the Pacific.
World Bank's support to the Philippines includes long-running programs aiming to raise agricultural productivity and reduce poverty in rural communities. A current example of this is the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) which aims to help increase rural incomes and enhance farm and fishery productivity.
Several projects are in the pipeline to help raise agricultural productivity, resiliency, and access to markets of farmers and fisherfolk in selected ancestral domains in the Philippines and improve the management of coastal fishery resources in selected coastal communities.
Learning from all these developments that our country is doing for its citizens, let us encourage more of our youth to appreciate and take up agricultural skills and much better study the course as there is a lot of good at stake for students and graduates. This has become a sector that few would dream of and intend to enroll in but then again there is a better future engaging in agriculture.
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