The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday it needs at least 23,000 agriculturists to serve as extension workers and provide direct support to Filipino farmers.

The announcement came after the Professional Regulation Commission’s release of the November Agriculturists Licensure Examination results, where 6,678 out of 9,742 examinees passed.

In an interview, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA is coordinating with the Commission on Higher Education to ensure curriculum alignment and match the demand of the agency.

Agriculture courses must also be reinstated in state universities and colleges (SUCs), as well as veterinary courses under the newly enacted Animal Industry Act, he added.

“Once we have these extension workers on the ground, real-time na ngayon lahat ng information namin at (all our information will now be real-time and) more accurate,” he said.

With real-time data gathering, the DA said, it would maximize its DA Statistics Office and would only have the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for validation purposes.

Tiu Laurel said extension workers would help improve the feedback mechanism, especially on field issues, such as delays in the distribution of seeds, fertilizers, and the prices of palay (unhusked rice).

In terms of gains, the agriculture chief expressed confidence in the support of the Marcos administration to potential government agriculturists.

“Field work is very attractive, especially if you’re paid well or properly, and helping farmers and fisher folks,” Tiu Laurel said.

“Actually, that’s why I’m here, that’s why I’m doing this job, because I see fulfillment, especially when I go on the ground.” (PNA)