The Department of Agriculture (DA) is preparing for a massive hiring drive to fill thousands of positions in agriculture and animal science, LED by new and upcoming laws supporting increased food production.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the department expects to hire about 20,000 agriculturists once a measure is approved that returns agricultural extension workers to the DA.
He said that each new worker would monitor at least 25 hectares, which translates to assisting roughly 25 farmers.
The newly-enacted Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act will require more veterinarians and allied professionals to strengthen the country’s livestock systems.
To meet these projected manpower needs, Tiu Laurel has begun coordinating with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to reinstate agriculturist courses in state universities, reporting a “very positive” response.
The DA hopes to recruit many of the new passers from the latest Agriculture Licensure Examination, where 6,678 of 9,742 examinees passed, to join its expanding workforce and support agriculture modernization.
Tiu Laurel said rebuilding a nationwide corps of extension workers would significantly improve the DA’s capacity to gather timely accurate field data, which is crucial for crafting sound policy and responding quickly to the needs of farmers, fisherfolk, and other players in the value chain.
“With real-time data, we can act faster and measure the impact of our programs, from seeds and fertilizers to palay prices,” he said.
“All the information will flow straight to our command center for quick analysis and decisive action,” he said.
 is planning to hire 20,000 agriculturists and other professionals following the approval of new laws aimed at boosting food production and modernizing the agriculture and animal science sectors.){kind=link}