CALAMBA CITY (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) in Calabarzon is expanding its overseas agriculture internship program to include college graduates from non-agriculture courses.
Roy Roger Victoria II, Media Production Specialist, confirmed the Filipino Young Farmers Internship Program (FYFIP) now welcomes college graduates from non-agriculture courses, provided they have farming experience.
“Graduates of any course are welcome, but we prefer those who have completed a degree in agriculture so they are at least experienced in farming and have a solid background in agriculture.”
The FYFIP also accepts scholars from farmer families, regardless of land size and ownership style, including urban farmers who cultivate their backyards.
“They must have an existing agricultural land regardless of size and stance of ownership, as long as they have land they are cultivating. We even accept those who venture into urban agriculture technology using Styrofoam, and those who are into backyard farming.”
By expanding their qualifications, the ATI aims to attract more young scholars amid declining enrollment in recent years.
“It’s a big challenge for the government to come up with new ways to attract young farmers. Over the years, we noticed a decline in the number of applicants, which has led to a gradual relaxation of our qualifications.”
Furthermore, expanding the internship program to college graduates has strengthened recruitment efforts, giving more individuals the chance to gain more advanced agricultural expertise.
Victoria added, “College graduates who get into the program, which requires a one-year training overseas including the grants they get after the internship, is a great way to start their practice once they come home.”
The FYFIP in Calabarzon has seen growing interest in Quezon, a predominantly agricultural province, and Laguna, which has a landscape that balances industrial zones with farmlands. More recently, its popularity surged in Cavite with a rising number of scholars from the province.
Upon completing the internship, FYFIP scholars receive grants from the ATI to enhance their productivity. Additionally, they can conduct lectures and offer consultancy services to assist local agricultural offices as part of the program’s two-year return service requirement. (PB,SI-PIA4A)
