Growing Together: Empowering Agriculture for a Stronger Philippines
At Formo Praxis Training Center, we believe that learning should uplift lives, families, and communities. Agriculture has always been the backbone of our nation, yet it remains an underappreciated and underproductive sector.
The Current Situation: A Sector Full of Potential Yet Facing Challenges
The Philippines has fertile lands, rich biodiversity, and a tropical climate ideal for farming and animal raising. Yet, despite this, agriculture contributes only ~10% to our GDP while employing ~24% of our workforce. This reflects low productivity and limited income for millions of Filipino farmers and livestock raisers.
🔎 Key Facts:
- Average farmer age is 57 years, with few young people choosing agriculture as a career.
- Rice yields remain at 4 tons/hectare, below our ASEAN neighbors’ 6–10 tons/hectare averages.
- Livestock production is mostly small-scale, limiting the country’s meat sufficiency levels.
(Sources: PSA, DA, IRRI)
Why Is This Happening?
Sadly, many students choose courses away from agriculture, aiming for office jobs they believe will bring stability and pride. Meanwhile, those who remain in agriculture are often those who could not finish schooling, as education takes years and costs that poor families simply cannot afford.
This creates a painful irony:
🌾 Those who study do not enter agriculture.
🌾 Those who remain in agriculture lack access to formal, modern training.
Without skills upgrading and support, our farmers and animal raisers remain trapped in low-income, backbreaking work, missing opportunities for growth and dignity.
What Educational Programs Exist Today?
CHED Agriculture Degrees
- BS Agriculture, with majors in Crop Science, Animal Science, Horticulture, and Extension.
- BS Agribusiness Management, combining farming with entrepreneurship.
- BS Agricultural Engineering, focusing on farm mechanization and technology.
🔬 Impact:
These programs produce researchers, engineers, and agribusiness professionals. However, few graduates become hands-on farmers or livestock entrepreneurs, widening the gap between knowledge and ground-level practice.
TESDA Agriculture Trainings
- Organic Agriculture Production NC II
- Animal Production NC II (poultry, swine, ruminants)
- Agricultural Crops Production NC I–III
- Horticulture NC II
- Landscaping NC II
🔬 Impact:
TESDA equips many rural youth and adults with practical skills. However, challenges include limited farm-based demonstration centers and access to markets or capital post-training.
DepEd Agriculture Programs
Under K–12 Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track, DepEd offers:
- Agri-Crop Production
- Animal Production
- Aquaculture
🔬 Impact:
These programs prepare students for employment, but many schools lack modern tools, animals, or facilities for immersive, realistic learning.
How Are These Programs Addressing Our Agriculture Issues?
✅ They teach technical skills to improve crops and livestock production.
✅ They encourage agripreneurship, teaching students that farming can be a profitable business.
✅ They integrate sustainability, vital for long-term productivity.
However, gaps remain:
- Few young people enroll in agriculture courses.
- Training often lacks digital and precision farming components.
- Poor families cannot afford years of formal education, leaving them stuck in outdated farming methods.
- Animal production remains small-scale with limited modern feed, health, and breeding systems.
How Can We Move Forward Together?
At Formo Praxis Training Center, we believe in a more inclusive, practical, and collaborative approach. We aim to:
🌱 Bring agriculture training closer to the grassroots.
Short modular courses in modern crop management, soil health, and greenhouse operations – accessible for those who cannot spend years in school.
🐓 Upgrade animal production skills.
Practical modules on poultry, swine, and ruminants focusing on feeding systems, breed improvement, and biosecurity.
💻 Introduce AgriTech to youth and farmers.
Workshops on digital tools, farm record systems, market apps, and climate-smart farming.
📈 Promote agribusiness and entrepreneurship.
Turning farming and animal raising into profitable and dignified livelihoods.
🤝 Build partnerships with schools, LGUs, and private institutions.
Together, we can offer demonstration farms, skills upgrading scholarships, and community-based programs to reach more Filipinos.
A Humane Approach for a Better Future
We recognize that agriculture is not just an economic sector – it is people’s lives, dreams, and survival. Let us work together so farmers, livestock raisers, and aspiring agripreneurs no longer feel left behind.
“Where Learning Meets Calling.”
Join Us in Empowering Agriculture
📞 Contact Formo Praxis today to explore training programs for your community, school, or organization.
🌐 Visit formopraxis.com to discover how learning can transform lives and build a stronger agricultural sector for all Filipinos.
Together, let’s grow a nation where no one is left behind, and agriculture becomes a source of hope, dignity, and abundant life.
