The Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) is one among the innovative extension modalities of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) which pertains to farms that showcase need-based and location-specific farming and fishing technologies and other agricultural enterprises. To maximize this role, different LSAs certified by the ATI-Regional Training Center 1 forged a partnership with the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) to host an internship program for students pursuing agriculture courses.
There are five (5) LSAs currently hosting the one-month on-the-job training of fourth-year students taking Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA). These LSAs are the following:
- Mariaโs Luntiang Bukid, Natividad, Pangasinan;
- R.rebs Integrated Eco Farm, Natividad, Pangasinan;
- Our Farm Republic, Mangatarem, Pangasinan
- JFC Farm and Training Center, San Fernando City, La Union; and
- Ibitโs Farm, San Fernando City, La Union.
The Reotutar Institute of Science, Arts, and Trades, Inc. (RISATI)-a national accredited Extension Service Provider (ESP) in Villasis, Pangasinan, and the Roheim Agri-Tourism and Skills Development Center-a regional accredited ESP in San Fabian, Pangasinan also serve as a training ground for these DMMMSU students.
Meanwhile, former LSAs that are eyeing the renewal of their certification are taking participation in this program and these are Lomboy Farms in Bauang, La Union; Madoma Farm in Laoac, Pangasinan; and Riverbank Agricultural Farm in Mangaldan, Pangasinan.
Among the programmed activities for the OJTs are production of various crops, application of organic agricultural technologies, raising of livestock, ruminant, and poultry animals, processing and marketing of different agriculture by-products, and management of a farm, as a whole.
The internship program for these students is a pre-requisite of their course and is arranged for them to employ the theories and principles learned from their school and to acquire practical skills from the farm that they are deployed on. At the end of the training, the students are expected to become skilled individuals in terms of agricultural enterprise development and management and ultimately become agri-preneur.
This partnership between DMMMSU and LSAs is strengthened through a Memorandum of Agreement. Hence, ATI-RTC 1 supports this initiative to produce competent youth in agriculture.
