DA, TESDA to modernize agricultural training

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday it has partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to modernize the country’s agricultural training programs, aiming to improve farmers’ productivity and income.

Following a meeting between key officials, the two agencies agreed to roll out a series of updated training programs covering rice machinery operations, agri-entrepreneurship, and refrigeration systems.

The program will also include training on fisheries postharvest and canning operations, with TESDA preparing the modules together with the DA’s Fisheries Development Council.

The DA said TESDA will launch new courses on cooperative management, butchery and slaughterhouse operations, and seaweed processing, all of which will be integrated into next year’s national curriculum.

The programs will be offered in multiple modalities (institution-, enterprise-, and community-based, and online learning) to ensure accessibility for students in remote and rural areas.

“We’re aligning our plans with the President’s vision for a modern, technology-driven agriculture. With new machinery, greenhouses, and improved seeds coming in, our farmers and fisherfolk must be fully equipped to handle these innovations,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. was quoted as saying in a statement.

The DA said it will also develop parameters to measure the effectiveness and benefits of the updated training programs. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel