20 Filipino farmers join Japanese agri training program

Twenty young Filipino farmers will spearhead the improvement of agricultural production, collection and distribution of farm products in their respective regions when they return to the Philippines after completing the Japanese agricultural systems training program.

The Japanese embassy in Manila said yesterday the 20 trainees, who are leaving for Japan today are expected to understand agricultural systems in Japan as well as imbibe the Japanese culture through the program.

Though the “Young Filipino Farmers Training Program in Japan,” the 20 young farmers will stay for 11 months in Japanese farmers’ houses to learn production techniques, management and distribution systems.

Japanese embassy First Secretary Kenji Terada, Japan Agricultural Exchange Council’s coordinator Waki Sasago together with ATI Director Asterio Saliot led the farewell ceremony for the “Young Filipino Farmers Training Program in Japan” at the Rural Development Education Center of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Department of Agriculture in Quezon City last Friday.

The program was launched in 1986 by the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council and has been sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Japan for 30 years. Around 500 graduates of this program have been working and improving the agricultural sector as leaders in various regions all over the Philippines.

A network of these young farmers continues to be important in solving harvest or post-harvest problems that hamper the Philippine agricultural sector.

The embassy said the trainees are to impart their new knowledge, skills and lessons learned to the respective communities in their regions, and help to deepen the friendship between the people of Japan and the Philippines.