Three (3) young Central Luzon farmers passed the local examination and field validation for the Filipino Young Farmer Internship Program (FYFIP) in Taiwan in partnership with Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO).
Mr. Joseph Christian G. Binuya from Baler, Aurora; Mr. Benhur B. Lid-Ayan from Maria Aurora, Aurora; and Mr. Erwin S. Gonzales from San Ildefonso, Bulacan are among the young Filipino farmers nationwide who will undergo the said internship program in Taiwan this year.ย
"Congratulations sa inyong tatlo. Simula pa lang ito ng inyong mga dapat pagdaanan bago tuluyang makapunta sa Taiwan para maging intern. Dapat maging prepared kayo na malayo sa inyong pamilya at kapag nasa Taiwan na kayo ay lakasan niyo lang lagi ang loob ninyo at after naman ng inyong internship program ay muli ninyong makakapiling ang inyong mga pamilya," said Dr. Joey A. Belarmino, Center Director.
Benhur Lid-hayan, a qualifier from Maria, Aurora with ten years of farming experience, expressed his enthusiasm for the internship, stating that he hopes to learn new practices and techniques for combating plant diseases.
Joseph Christian Binuya, another qualifier from Baler, Aurora, who has four years of farming experience and specializes in taking care of swine, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to learn from high-tech equipment for their farm.
When asked about his goals after the internship, Erwin Gonzalez from San Ildefonso, Bulacan said, โI hope to gain more knowledge and experience in farming technologies that I can apply when I return home, and also explore other opportunities in countries like Japan and Canada."
The FYFIPT program aims to improve the skills and knowledge of young farmers in the Philippines. This will help them to achieve their goals and contribute to the sustainability of the agriculture sector.
The Department of Agriculture โ Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MECO-TECO in December 2020 enhancing the existing friendly relations between the agriculture and fishery authorities.
The MOU provides for an 11-month subsidized internship program in Taiwan for qualified young Filipino farmers. The training module will include modern agricultural and fisheries techniques, marketing strategies, cooperative management, enhancement of competencies, discipline and work values, among others. (Dianne Lapuz/Jaztine Jay Sambrano)
