Agriculture plays a crucial role in the economies of many countries, with the Philippines tagging it as its economy’s backbone. In the country’s agricultural extension system, the Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) serve as instrumental in bringing to the farmers array of research-based technologies and innovative practices geared toward improved productivity and income. One of which is the integration of rice and fishery as viable component of integrated farming system.
To capacitate the AEWs in playing such role, and to equip them with the latest technologies and integrated farming practices that revolutionize agriculture and augment farmers’ income, the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center I (ATI-RTC I) organized three (3) batches of comprehensive courses titled Training on Rice-Fish Farming System. These were five-day training courses held from June to August 2023 at ATI-RTC I, Tebag East, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan.
A total of 54 AEWs and eight (8) farmer leaders hailing from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan completed the training structured with five comprehensive modules.
The first module focused on the intricacies of the rice industry in the region, including rice morphology, growth stages, and their corresponding management practices. The second module encompassed the fishery industry in the region, covering the catfish, prawn, and tilapia production. The heart of the training lay in the third module, which covered rice-fish culture, the design and establishment of integrated systems, climate-smart management practices, pest and disease management, and cost and return analysis. Participants developed comprehensive action plans based on the knowledge they gained in this module.
The participants gave positive remarks on the timely and comprehensive coverage of topics that brought them informative training and new learning. They added that the training was timely solution of the rising input costs.
The training left an impression to the participants that the concept of integrated farming is revolutionary, enabling farmers to generate income from both rice and fish cultivation. The tools and techniques employed and the facilitation strategies lead to a more engaging learning environment, expressing their desire for more training opportunities in the future.
The training yielded profound insights to the participants expressing that rice-fish farming emerged as a promising solution to enhance community’s resiliency in climate change alongside improved income and nutrition outcomes. Hence, it is a challenge for them to recalibrate farmers' mindsets in embracing new technologies and integrate various commodities.
Dr. Westly R. Rosario, President of FishTech Philippines Inc., and Chairman of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Board of Fisheries played a crucial role as the resource person to the training. Dr. Rosario is the former Agricultural Center Chief IV of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (BFAR-NIFTDC) Region 1. His background and expertise covered sessions on the topics ranging from regional fishery insights to detailed discussions on catfish, tilapia, and prawn production, along with the intricacies of Rice-Fish Culture, design, and financial analysis.
Center Director, Dr. Rogelio C. Evangelista took the opportunity to commend the participants for their commitment to learning and expressed his support for their endeavors. He also highlighted the importance of their roles in bridging the gap between innovative techniques and local farmers.
