LOS ANGELES, Butuan City – As one of the International Exchange Programs (IEPs) of the Department of Agriculture under the Agricultural Training Institute, the Filipino Young Farmers Internship Program in Taiwan (FYFIPT) Batch 3 through the ATI – Regional Training Center XIII assessed three qualified youth in Caraga region to undergo the said training.

This program is a partnership between the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO) which aims to develop the capabilities of deserving young Filipino farmers to become empowered farmer leaders and agricultural entrepreneurs.

On March 23, 2023, ATI-RTC XIII conducted its regional examination of the applicants. Applicants who passed will be validated through a field visit. An endorsement will then be submitted to ATI-Central Office.

The program is composed of three components. Trainees will undergo a pre-departure orientation on which online classes on the language, culture, and traditions of Taiwan will be done. Intensive agriculture and fisheries-related face-to-face training will also be conducted at the RTCs.

Next is the 11-month internship program where intensive on-farm training with the accredited host families of the partner country. Post-evaluation and re-entry planning will then follow.

All in all, there will be 50 interns from each RTCs including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ITCPH) with two slots.