August 22, 2026
More Filipinos will have the opportunity to gain skills in urban agriculture and turn them into livelihood and enterprise opportunities as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) move to institutionalize urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) skills training nationwide.
TESDA and DA, through the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP) of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), formalized their collaboration to develop training and certification programs that will equip individuals and communities with practical skills in modern food production, while helping address food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.
Recently signed by TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the partnership will pave the way for the development of competency standards, training programs, and the Urban Agriculture Production National Certificate (NC II), giving Filipinos a nationally recognized qualification in urban agriculture.
The implementation of the initiative will be led by the TESDA Green Technology Center (GTC), in collaboration with the DA-BPI, particularly its NUPAP, to ensure that the training programs are grounded in appropriate, modern, and climate-smart urban agriculture technologies and practices.
For individuals seeking livelihood opportunities, the initiative can provide pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and community-based food production. For communities, it can help build local capacity to produce food using modern and climate-smart technologies, even in areas where conventional agricultural space is limited.
“Skills development is ultimately about creating opportunities for people. Through this partnership with DA, we are giving Filipinos practical skills that they can use to earn a living, start an enterprise, and contribute to food security in their own communities,” Sec. Kiko said.
“At TESDA, we believe that skills transform lives. This convergence ensures that learning goes beyond the classroom and translates into sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and stronger, more resilient communities,” he added.
For his part, Secretary Tiu Laurel said the initiative draws on a distinctly Filipino ingenuity that became particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Filipinos transformed rooftops, vacant lots, and other unused spaces into productive vegetable gardens.
“I have always believed that Filipinos have a special gift. Give us a small patch of land, a rooftop, a balcony or even a few recycled containers, and before long, someone has turned them into a thriving garden. We are, by nature, nurturers. Today, our task is to match that instinct with knowledge, skills and opportunity,” the Agriculture chief said
To make these opportunities more accessible and relevant to communities, TESDA and DA will establish technology demonstration hubs and strengthen the capacity of trainers, assessors, and partner institutions nationwide. These facilities will showcase practical applications of urban agriculture that learners can adopt and replicate in their own homes, communities, or enterprises.
As part of the initiative, the TESDA Complex in Taguig will be developed as a flagship Urban Agriculture Technology Demonstration and Training Center, featuring modern and climate-smart farming technologies such as hydroponics, vertical farming, container gardening, composting, and other innovative production systems.
The demonstration center will serve as a learning and knowledge-sharing facility where trainers, learners, community members, and partner institutions can gain hands-on exposure to technologies suited for urban and peri-urban environments.
Through competency-based training and nationally recognized certification, TESDA and DA aim to build a pool of skilled and certified urban agriculture practitioners who can contribute to local food production while pursuing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Beyond developing technical skills, the partnership seeks to bring practical solutions closer to Filipinos by enabling communities to make productive use of available spaces, adopt modern farming technologies, and develop sustainable sources of food and income.
The collaboration supports the government’s broader goals of strengthening food security, promoting climate-resilient and sustainable communities, and expanding inclusive economic opportunities through skills development
TESDA, DA sanib-pwersa upang ihanda ang mga Pilipino sa urban agriculture
Mas maraming Pilipino ang magkakaroon ng pagkakataong matuto ng mga kasanayan sa urban agriculture at gawing kabuhayan at negosyo ang mga ito sa pamamagitan ng pagtutulungan ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) at Department of Agriculture (DA) upang gawing bahagi ng pambansang sistema ang pagsasanay sa urban at peri-urban agriculture (UPA).
Pormal nang pinagtibay ng TESDA at DA, sa pamamagitan ng National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP) ng Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), ang kanilang pagtutulungan upang bumuo ng mga programa sa pagsasanay at sertipikasyon na magbibigay sa mga indibidwal at komunidad ng praktikal na kasanayan sa makabagong produksyon ng pagkain, habang nakatutulong sa pagsusulong ng food security, climate resilience, at sustainable livelihoods.
Nilagdaan kamakailan nina TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez at Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ang kasunduan na magbibigay-daan sa pagbuo ng competency standards, training programs, at Urban Agriculture Production National Certificate (NC II), na magbibigay sa mga Pilipino ng pambansang kinikilalang kwalipikasyon sa larangan ng urban agriculture.
Pangungunahan ng TESDA Green Technology Center (GTC) ang pagpapatupad ng inisyatiba, katuwang ang DA-BPI, partikular ang NUPAP, upang matiyak na ang mga programa sa pagsasanay ay nakabatay sa angkop, makabago, at climate-smart na teknolohiya at pamamaraan sa urban agriculture.
Para sa mga naghahanap ng kabuhayan, magbubukas ang inisyatiba ng mga oportunidad sa trabaho, pagnenegosyo, at community-based food production. Para naman sa mga komunidad, makatutulong ito sa pagpapalakas ng kanilang kakayahang makalikha ng pagkain gamit ang makabago at climate-smart na teknolohiya, kahit sa mga lugar na limitado ang espasyo para sa tradisyunal na pagsasaka.
“Skills development is ultimately about creating opportunities for people. Through this partnership with DA, we are giving Filipinos practical skills that they can use to earn a living, start an enterprise, and contribute to food security in their own communities,” ani Sec. Kiko.
“At TESDA, we believe that skills transform lives. This convergence ensures that learning goes beyond the classroom and translates into sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and stronger, more resilient communities,” dagdag niya.
Samantala, sinabi ni Secretary Tiu Laurel na nakaugat ang inisyatiba sa likas na pagiging malikhain at maparaan ng mga Pilipino, na higit na nakita noong COVID-19 pandemic nang gawing produktibong taniman ng gulay ang mga rooftop, bakanteng lote, at iba pang hindi nagagamit na espasyo.
“I have always believed that Filipinos have a special gift. Give us a small patch of land, a rooftop, a balcony or even a few recycled containers, and before long, someone has turned them into a thriving garden. We are, by nature, nurturers. Today, our task is to match that instinct with knowledge, skills and opportunity,” pahayag ng kalihim ng agrikultura.
Upang maging mas abot-kamay at angkop sa pangangailangan ng mga komunidad ang mga oportunidad na ito, magtatatag ang TESDA at DA ng mga technology demonstration hub at palalakasin ang kakayahan ng mga trainer, assessor, at partner institutions sa buong bansa.
Ipapakita sa mga pasilidad na ito ang mga praktikal na aplikasyon ng urban agriculture na maaaring matutuhan at gamitin ng mga learner sa kanilang mga tahanan, komunidad, o negosyo.
Bilang bahagi ng inisyatiba, itatatag ang TESDA Complex sa Taguig bilang flagship Urban Agriculture Technology Demonstration and Training Center, na magtatampok ng mga makabago at climate-smart na teknolohiya sa pagsasaka tulad ng hydroponics, vertical farming, container gardening, composting, at iba
pang makabagong production systems.
Magsisilbi ang demonstration center bilang pasilidad para sa pagkatuto at pagbabahagi ng kaalaman, kung saan magkakaroon ng hands-on na karanasan ang mga trainer, learner, miyembro ng komunidad, at partner institutions sa mga teknolohiyang angkop sa urban at peri-urban na kapaligiran.
Sa pamamagitan ng competency-based training at pambansang kinikilalang sertipikasyon, layunin ng TESDA at DA na bumuo ng mas maraming skilled at certified urban agriculture practitioners na makatutulong sa lokal na produksyon ng pagkain habang nakikinabang sa mga oportunidad sa trabaho at pagnenegosyo.
Higit pa sa pagpapaunlad ng teknikal na kasanayan, layunin ng pagtutulungan na mailapit sa mga Pilipino ang mga praktikal na solusyon sa produksyon ng pagkain sa pamamagitan ng produktibong paggamit ng mga available na espasyo, paggamit ng makabagong teknolohiya sa pagsasaka, at paglikha ng sustainable na
pinagkukunan ng pagkain at kita.
Sinusuportahan ng naturang pagtutulungan ang mas malawak na layunin ng pamahalaan na palakasin ang food security, itaguyod ang climate-resilient at sustainable na mga komunidad, at palawakin ang inclusive economic opportunities sa pamamagitan ng skills development.
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