The ATI Ilocos Region conducted Training on Community Extension Needs Assessment for Agricultural Extension Workers on March 18-22, 2024, at ATI-RTC I, Tebag East, Santa Barbara, Pangasinan, with 31 participants from various LGUs in Region 1. Participants were immersed in farming and fishing communities in different barangays of Alaminos City, Pangasinan, to undergo experiential learning and to reflect on their assumptions, attitudes, and knowledge as extensionists. They lived with host families for three (3) days to experience farming and fishing activities and to gain insight into the challenges faced by farmers in poverty.
Additionally, participants conducted community observation, interviews and focus group discussions with farmers, rural women and youth to gather information, identify problems and needs of the community. This experience enabled participants to engage in dialogue with community members and bolstering the AEWs knowledge, skills and values as extensionists.
During the last day of the training, participants presented and shared their experiences and reflections from living with host families, participating in farming and fishing activities, and gathering information from the community. Their presentations received critical feedback from the panel at ATI-RTC 1, emphasizing that their experiences and the valuable knowledge they gained should drive their commitment as AEWs and prepare them for project proposal development to conceptualize programs or projects aimed at alleviating farmer poverty.
This training is a second phase of the SEEDS in Agriculture or the Scaling Extension Endeavors towards Development Sustainability in Agriculture, a capability building program that capacitate newly hired Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWS) become more effective frontline service providers in the farming and fishing communities. The third phase is the Training on Project Proposal which is scheduled in April.
