Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA), recently conducted here a Market Forum and Market Matching for 34 farmers, hopeful that it would help enhance their business acumen.

Region 3  Regional Director Engr. Arnel S. Dizon said the farmers are the first batch who graduated from the Farm Business School (FBS) sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Dizon said farm business schools have been established in eleven (11) municipalities in the province to train farmers on how to transact business with traders.

Dizon added that the market forum and market matching was organized to bring the farmers into a marketing arrangement with some buyers.

Gumercindo Tumbali, FAO Specialist, said that the activity focuses on how  farmers could access better markets and earn more.

“It is expected that all farmers present in the activity would be able to learn the rope in transacting business with prospective buyers of their farm outputs at fair price.” he said.

  “This activity aims to prepare and make our farmers competitive especially when the Integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations comes into reality next year,” Paul Vincent Ballao, head of the Nueva Vizcaya Experimental Station (NVES), averred.

Ballao also stressed that our farmers must be prepared to produce organic and quality products in order to be competitive in the entire Asia.  “To attain this, farmers have to shift on organic farming or adopt the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)” he added.

Meanwhile, Fely Camcam of the DA Central Office encouraged farmers to  develop their social capital by organizing themselves into a potent force capable of supplying bigger markets like Save More Department Store, Robinson Department Store and other local and national food outlets.

She cited some inspiring examples of simple farmers who have become successful vegetable producers and suppliers simply because they draw strength from each other.