SENATOR Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has called on the Department of Agriculture (DA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and local government units (LGUs) to strengthen their collaboration in ensuring that agriculture graduates are equipped with the skills, training, and opportunities needed to address the country’s food security challenges.

Pangilinan, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, said government agencies must work together to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the actual needs of the agriculture sector, particularly amid the aging population of farmers and the declining interest among young Filipinos to pursue farming.

“The problem now is that many of our farmers are already old, and the younger generation in farming communities no longer wants to engage in farming because they find other jobs, such as construction work, more attractive,” Pangilinan said.

The senator emphasized the need for a coordinated internship program involving the CHED, DA, LGUs, Bureau of Extension Services, and Bureau of Cooperatives to provide agriculture students with meaningful on-the-job training and clearer career opportunities.

He said stronger linkages between academic institutions and the agriculture industry would encourage more young Filipinos to enter the sector by providing them with a clear career path in farming and agribusiness.

Pangilinan noted that around 26,000 agriculture students are required annually to complete 240 to 360 hours of on-the-job training before graduation.

He said the DA’s extension services, whose renationalization he is pushing through Senate Bill No. 1991, should play a vital role in supervising and guiding agriculture students during their field exposure and training.

The senator also pointed out that many agriculture graduates eventually pursue jobs outside the sector, seek employment abroad, or remain underemployed due to the mismatch between their academic preparation, available opportunities, and the actual needs of farming communities.

Pangilinan said closer cooperation among government agencies, higher education institutions, and LGUs would help establish stronger career pathways for agriculture graduates while ensuring that investments in agricultural education directly benefit farmers and fisherfolk.

He also cited the objectives of the Sagip Saka Act of 2019, which created the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development Program to help transform farmers and fisherfolk from subsistence producers into successful farm entrepreneurs through improved enterprise management and development.

“By aligning education, workforce development, and local agricultural needs, we strengthen not only our agricultural sector but also our country’s capacity to provide affordable, sufficient, and nutritious food for every Filipino,” Pangilinan said.