YFFLTPJ alumni Ernesto Perlas, Jr. (in green) tours the Japanese visitors around their farm in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. (photo by Clemente Gabion)
LUZON, Philippines—Former trainees of the Young Filipino Farm Leaders’ Training Program in Japan (YFFLTPJ) took the opportunity to express their gratitude and showcase their farming practices to Japanese officials and farmers who helped them improve their skills.
This was during the monitoring visit of Japan Agricultural Exchange Council (JAEC) officials, together with Japanese farmers who serve as host families to YFFLTPJ trainees.
The YFFLTPJ offers young Filipino farmers an 11-month on-farm training with Japanese farmers. This is aimed at enhancing the young farmers’ leadership potentials through the exchange of knowledge on farming techniques and practices.
The group, led by JAEC Director for Operations Toshihiro Shimizu, expressed how pleased they are with the former trainees’ adoption of Japanese technologies in their respective farms.
The farms of Alexander Paulo in San Antonio, Zambales; Ronald Echon in Candelaria, Zambales; and Ernesto Perlas, Jr. in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija were among the sites visited.
“We are happy to see the former trainees doing well in their farms and applying the techniques they learned in Japan,” Shimizu said.
The group, joined by representatives from the ATI Partnerships and Accreditation Division, also visited the ATI Learning Site, Lukong Valley Farm in Dolores, Quezon, where they convened with the selected YFFLTPJ alumni.
Prior to the farm visitation, the JAEC officials met with Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credit Evelyn Laviña and ATI Director Alfredo Aton. Laviña expressed her support to the exchange program and assured that the DA will continue to undertake fruitful partnerships with key agricultural organizations worldwide.
Aton, on the other hand, thanked JAEC for their efforts in the implementation of the YFFLTPJ. He looked forward to how the program will further expand opportunities for young Filipino farmers.
The monitoring visit, which resulted from the JAEC-ATI meeting last year, was held on January 20-26, 2019 in Regions III and IV-A.