The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in North Cotabato is actively engaging young residents in the province, aiming to cultivate interest in agriculture-related courses as promising career paths, according to agency officials.

DAR-North Cotabato’s ongoing province-wide information campaign has reached 4,773 Grade 10 and Senior High School students across 20 secondary schools in 18 municipalities as of Tuesday, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO-II) Evangeline Bueno reported.

Bueno said the initiative focuses on promoting and generating interest in the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project among key stakeholders, with a specific emphasis on engaging the youth, including students, young leaders, student organizations, and youth groups.

“This campaign is not only about raising awareness,” she added. “It’s also about helping the younger generation recognize their potential roles in nation-building through agriculture.”

During the information sessions, students learned about DAR’s mandate, its major programs, including the SPLIT Project, and the diverse opportunities available within the agriculture sector.

Bueno noted that some attendees were children of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB), making the sessions particularly meaningful for those with direct connections to the project.

Xhadi Calibara, a student from Manglicmot High School in Alamada, North Cotabato, expressed her appreciation for DAR’s outreach program and its impact on her as a student. “It’s good to finally understand what DAR does for our farmers, especially the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries. I never knew how big its impact was until now,” she said.

Calibara admitted that learning about DAR’s scholarship offerings opened new possibilities for her future.

“Knowing that DAR offers scholarships made me think seriously about taking agriculture or related courses in college. I’m now considering it as a real option for my future,” she told DAR officials. (PNA)