In a joint effort to boost coconut production and enhance local nursery establishment practices, the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center I (ATI-RTC I), in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), conducted a Training of Trainers (ToT) on Coconut Production and Nursery Establishment from May 19 to 23, 2025, at Punta Riviera del Mar Inc. a newly certified learning sites in agriculture located in Barangay Ilog Malino, Bolinao, Pangasinan.
The training aimed to capacitate coconut farmer leaders and Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from key coconut-producing areas in the province, enabling them to serve as trainers in their respective communities.
A total of 28 participants from the municipalities of Bolinao, Bani, Agno, and San Carlos City took part in the five-day activity, which combined lectures with intensive hands-on learning. Participants engaged in practical sessions such as the demonstration of coconut nursery establishment, layouting of coconut farms, identification of high-quality seed nuts, and proper coconut planting techniques—all of which are vital to sustainable coconut farming.
Resource speakers from PCA and ATI-RTC I provided technical guidance and facilitated interactive sessions designed to build competence and confidence among participants.
At the end of the training, each participant received 16 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points and crafted an individual action plan, which serves as a roadmap for their role as local trainers in future farmer-level training programs.
“The training provided the AEWs and coconut farmers both useful knowledge, skills and capacity on coconut production and nursery establishment," Jan Herald Bayna, Agricultural Technologist of LGU-Bani, Pangasinan, said as he expressed his learnings gained from the training.
The initiative underscores ATI-RTC I and PCA's shared commitment to strengthening the coconut industry through localized knowledge transfer and capacity-building efforts, ensuring that best practices in coconut farming and nursery management are adopted at the grassroots level.
