Innovators Expected From New PH Agriculturists – Secretary Of Agriculture William Dar

On 21 December 2019, at the Philippine International Convention Center, Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie was the guest speaker at the oath-taking of 5,538 passers of the Agriculturist Licensure Examination conducted this November[1]. 

To you, "my warmest congratulations," Manong Willie told the Agriculturist oath-takers:

Ilang dekada na rin ang nakalilipas, ako'y kagaya rin ninyo na nangarap at nagsikap upang maabot ang aking mithiin sa buhay. Mga magsasaka po ang aking mga magulang -- Marcelo and Ana – mula sa Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur.

(Already, so many decades have passed, I was like you dreaming and working hard to reach my goals in life. My parents are farmers – Marcelo and Ana – from Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur.)

Being with dynamic young people like you whose heart belongs to the countryside always (gives) me more confidence about Philippine agriculture.

I writer now quote William Shakespeare who said, through Prince Hamlet:

To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles...

Not farfetched, I would say. Manong Willie said:

When we assumed office, we inherited a sector that was in critical stage as it has erratically grown this past decade. Poverty remains high, and rural and agricultural in nature.

Yes, PH Agriculture is at a critical stage, brought about by previous lack of planning, especially today with the confusion immediately brought about by the long-term effects of the Rice Tariffication Law, RTL, signed early this year by President Rodrigo Duterte. As to the RTL, we have no choice, as PH is a member of the World Trade Organization, WTO, and has to follow the WTO guidelines.

How do you accommodate those thousands of agriculturists? My answer is: You cannot! A great many of those thousands will have to accommodate themselves.

Now then, what to do with the new 5,500 plus Agriculturists, not to mention the thousands of others in the past? I am sure Manong Willie will do what he can at the helm of the DA to help the young ones, but what should the young Agriculturists do? Like him, "Mangarap at magsikap upang maabot ang (kanilang) mithiin sa buhay." (To dream and work hard to reach their goals in life.) Good guide from a life well-lived; still, there are thousands and thousands who must dream and act in their own behalf.

Among other things, Manong Willie told the new Agriculturists about his "New Thinking for Agriculture" he is espousing, the first of the ideals being "Agricultural modernization." This is where I suggest the new (and old) Agriculturists busy themselves in understanding what it is and how they can contribute to level up PH Agriculture. Manong Willie is calling for new entrepreneurship, which calls for innovation. (innovation image from Forbes[2])

He is pinning hopes on the Agriculturists, new and old. The new DA will help the young entrepreneurs financially, but they will have to come up with their innovative ideas first.@517

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[1]https://www.thesummitexpress.com/2019/11/full-results-november-2019-agriculturist-board-exam-list-of-passers-top-10.html

[2]https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterbendorsamuel/2019/07/23/four-guidelines-for-success-in-innovation-in-digital-transformation/#17906a401aa9