Twenty-five Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from various provincial, city, and municipal Local Government Units (LGUs) across the region completed the Training on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Data Management. This capacity-building initiative, organized by the Agricultural Training Institute โ Regional Training Center 1 through its Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Unit (PMEU), was held from May 26 to 30, 2025, at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.
The five-day training aimed to equip AEWs with essential competencies to enhance the effectiveness and impact of agricultural extension services within their communities. Moreover, the program was developed in response to a prior needs assessment that identified gaps in AEWsโ ability to monitor agricultural programs and manage data efficiently. As agriculture increasingly relies on data-driven approaches, the training combined theoretical inputs with hands-on activitiesโsuch as lectures, workshops, and a field exposure visitโto help participants apply new skills directly to their work.
A key highlight of the training was the exposure study visit to Adones Integrated Farm, where participants had the opportunity to apply their Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools through structured interviews with stakeholders, including the City Agriculturist and Agricultural Technicians of Batac; and Owners of AGAPELand Farm, Agustin Farm, and the Adones Integrated Farm. . This practical engagement allowed participants to validate and refine their M&E tools while further developing their competencies in participatory monitoring and stakeholder engagement.
The training was further enriched by the insights of Dr. Marlowe U. Aquino, the resource person from MMSU, who challenged the participants to โlook beyondโ in their monitoring efforts.
โWe have to capture the best processes and use them to achieve better and sustained outputs,โ he said, reminding AEWs that effective M&E is both a science and an art. Dr. Aquinosโ mantra, โSMILE โ Small Miracles in Living Everyday,โ also encouraged the participants to embrace their responsibilities with renewed enthusiasm and a positive mindset. With enhanced skills in M&E and data management gained through lectures and fieldwork, these AEWs are now better equipped to deliver data-driven agricultural programs. Their improved capabilities will support stronger extension services and advance sustainable agriculture, food security, and rural development goals.
