Press Release

Nineteen (19) young Filipinos from the public and private sectors will be going to Japan this week to train in agribusiness and agri-tourism course under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) training program that sought to help develop the Philippines' human resources.

The training is under the JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program: Young Leaders (KCCP-YL), a component of Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) to developing countries like the Philippines to train young leaders in a specific field and enable countries to resolve socioeconomic issues.

"JICA continues to support human resources development in the Philippines especially at this time when natural disasters and climate change are affecting the Philippine agriculture sector. The KCCP course on agribusiness and agri-tourism should inspire this year's Filipino participants to innovate new solutions that benefit their sector," said JICA Philippines Senior Representative KANO Aya.

Some of the participants came from CALABARZON, an agricultural region recently affected by the Taal Volcano disaster, specifically University of the Philippines Los Bańos and city government of Calamba. The others work in the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Caraga Region; National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Nueva Ecija; Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in MIMAROPA; DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service and University of the Philippines Diliman in the National Capital Region; city government of Naga; Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and provincial government of Negros Occidental in Region VI (Western Visayas); Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM); and local government unit of Libagon, Southern Leyte in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas). The others came from the private sector involved in agribusiness, agri-farming, and agri-tourism.

The two-week training includes visit to various sites in Okinawa and lectures on innovation and model cases in Japan's agriculture sector. The participants will also learn Japan's best practices in public-private collaboration in revitalizing rural economies as well as field visits to agri-tourism sites.

Former KCCP participant from DAR, Cherry Mae Purazo shared, "One of the lessons from Japan that I am applying in my work is the value chain development in agriculture. Through the sixth industrialization concept or value adding products and services in agriculture, the Philippines can increase local farmers' income and address market needs."

Every year, under the KCCP-YL, JICA sends young future leaders to train in Japan as part of JICA's efforts to build the capacity of partner countries as well as learn from and collaborate with other nations.