QUEZON CITY -- A total of eighty-five (85) farmer-members from the three  (3) agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) being assisted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) transformed themselves into farmer-entrepreneurs as they graduate from the Farm Business School (FBS) of the DAR in Ilocos Norte.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Victor Ines said the FBS aims to develop agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to become agricultural entrepreneurs as a way to promote farming as one form of a business where ARBs could draw big earnings.

"We will help the graduates in marketing their products. At present, we are trying to have an agreement with Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center so that the said hospital will regularly buy the products of our FBS graduates for their daily vegetable supply requirements," he said.

He said the FBS trained them on various entrepreneurial skills and advanced farming practices so they can properly manage their produce as they go out in the market.

“The participants gave clear visions and goals on what their farm should be and thought of ways to make those plans become a reality,” Ines said.

The 85 farmers are members of Timpuyog ti Sta Maria-San Antonio Farmers Irrigators Association, Inc., Namnama Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative and Daquioag Bannuar Farmers Irrigators Association, Inc.

Mary Grace Tomas of Timpuyog ti Sta Maria - San Antonio IA, Inc. said that in FBS, they were able to learn how to manage farm records, develop a good plan and learn how to become successful entrepreneurs.

DAR, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, initiated the FBS which also teaches farmers essential matters on bookkeeping, cash flows, market surveys, selling and costing and proper packaging of their products. (DAR)