Technical training strengthens Paraguay’s horticultural sector

The smell of grease and metal mixed with freshly turned soil at the Agricultural School of San Juan Bautista in Misiones, where students took apart engines that had stood idle for months. Two days later, 16 motor cultivators were running again.

The work formed part of ASIA Technology’s ASIA TOTAL program, a mobile training initiative that has spent more than a year visiting agricultural schools around Paraguay. More than 100 final-year students joined workshops on repairing, maintaining and operating the machines.

The sessions also covered good agricultural practices and the marketing of horticultural production. Local farmers and technicians were invited to take part, while specialists guided students through each repair, from dismantling engines to replacing parts.

Field demonstrations brought together students, technicians from the Directorate of Agricultural Extension and producers to discuss efficient machinery use and preventive maintenance. The restored equipment will return to communities that need it, without requiring them to buy new machines.

ASIA Technology describes ASIA TOTAL as more than a one-off training course. The program combines technical instruction, workshop assistance, machinery recovery and institutional coordination. Its aim is to build skills among agricultural students while supporting family farming, horticulture, producers and specialized technicians.