THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-South has partnered with the City Government of La Carlota and an agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (Arbo) for a farm business school project at Barangay San Miguel of the said locality.

The program, which was launched on Tuesday, August 14, aims to capacitate farmer-beneficiaries in developing sustainable enterprises and enhance the competitiveness of their produce in the market.

Under which, the agency will conduct a series of 25 sessions of a multi-level training program for about 30 farmer-members of Estela Agrarian Reform Cooperative.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Lucrecia Taberna said the farm business school is also positioned to boost the entrepreneurial skills of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) through effective management of their farm produce and optimizing their profitability.

“Aside from making their farms profitable, we want to make them understand the strategies of business so that they can respond to market challenges,” Taberna said, adding that "the training is seen to promote and accelerate rural development."

The local government, for its part, will provide technical and marketing support through coaching, mentoring, and provision of vegetable seedlings and other farm inputs.

Benchmarking, market surveys and market matching with prospect buyers will be conducted by the farmers.

La Carlota City Executive Assistant Edgardo Canlas said the local government will work hand-in-hand with the DAR and Arbo to ensure successful implementation of the project.

It is hoped to solve the pressing challenges in the production of farmers and boost their income as well, he added.