BIZ BUZZ: Wanted: Agriculturists
The Philippines is scrambling to recruit more technical personnel to boost farm productivity and improve farm practices through science.
These personnel will help the Department of Agriculture (DA) gather real-time information from the ground and address the concerns of farmers and fishers.
“We don’t need PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) anymore to do our validation. They will only validate our data. And whatever feedback or issues farmers have with delayed seeds, fertilizer or prices of palay (unmilled rice), we almost have real-time information, especially with our command center,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
Here’s the big question: Is passion enough to make an agriculturist’s time worth it? Tiu Laurel may understand that a good paycheck matters—but in the end, he knows it all depends on the Department of Budget and Management.
“Well, salary is important, right? But I think the passion … fieldwork is very attractive, especially if you’re paid well or properly and helping farmers and fisherfolk. That’s why I’m doing this job, because I see fulfillment, especially when I go on the ground.”
If all goes well, President Marcos may just find a way to give future agriculturists a proper compensation package. After all, agriculture is high on his administration’s agenda.
