Breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Cherrie Atilano has dedicated over two decades to empowering farmers in the Philippines. \"I started my business as a woman in a male-dominated industry,\" Atilano shares, emphasizing her commitment to making farming appealing and profitable for all.
Residing in one of the Philippines' poorest regions, Marinduque, Atilano envisions transforming the island into a renowned farm tourism destination. Her goal is to bolster the local economy through agriculture, eradicate poverty among farming families, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Central to her strategy is profitability. Atilano and her team established a farm school that imparts not only production technology but also agropreneurship. She believes that empowering farmers to view themselves as entrepreneurs fosters ownership and productivity. Additionally, Atilano is passionate about increasing female participation in agriculture. Half of her farm school's enrollees are women, and the curriculum includes financial literacy training, recognizing that women often manage household budgets.
Atilano advocates that entering a male-dominated field isn't daunting for women who possess the right values and attitude. She encourages female farmers to equip themselves with knowledge, believing it is the key to personal and community progress.
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A Filipino businesswoman who spent 20 years empowering farmers
cgtn.com
