Thirty agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from Milagros, Masbate have completed the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) Farm Business School (FBS), equipping them with the skills to turn their farms into sustainable and profit-driven enterprises.

The graduates — all members of the Cayabon Agrarian Reform Cooperative — received their certificates after finishing the intensive 17-week program designed to transform farmers into competitive agripreneurs.

Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer (CARPO) Ma. Theresa B. Bacayo said the FBS provides ARBs with the knowledge to manage their farms as viable businesses, with a strong focus on market planning and long-term profitability.

“This is more than just a certificate; it is a license to transform your farms into thriving businesses,” Bacayo said, stressing that the program empowers farmers to move beyond traditional practices and adopt a more strategic, market-driven approach to agriculture.

The curriculum covered financial literacy, market analysis, and strategic crop planning — competencies that help farmers reduce risks, control production costs, and align planting schedules with market demand. DAR said this leads to higher income, better productivity, and improved access to markets.

DAR also assured graduates of continued technical assistance and support services to help them apply their newly acquired knowledge and strengthen their participation in the agricultural value chain.

Graduate Mequias Eguin said the program changed how they approach farming.

“We were trained to see our farm not just as a place to grow food, but as a business. Now, we can determine our planting schedule according to market demand, not only according to our customs,” he said.

DAR said empowering farmers through entrepreneurial farming contributes to a more resilient rural economy by making ARBs self-reliant and capable of driving agricultural growth in their communities.