ATI NorMin upskills corn farmers to become farmer scientists

Tue, 03/14/2023 - 17:28
Farmer Scientist Refresher Training Course

Malaybalay City, Bukidnon---A Farmer Scientist Refresher Training Course was conducted recently by the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X) through its Career Development and Management Services (CDMS) in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

Twenty-four farmer participants, majority of which are corn farmers of Kitaotao, Bukidnon, were trained to become farmer scientist trainers who will then conduct the Farmer Scientist Training Program (FSTP) Phase III. The refresher training course intends to capacitate its training participants by providing them a training course on farming techniques and values development.

FSTP is an integrative three-phase agricultural research, development and extension methodology. The program aims to uplift the condition of poor farmers through a corn-based partnership program for sustainable agricultural development.

“For this particular refresher training course, the participants were taught with various corn-based farming systems and its importance to hilly land farmers, cultural management practices, farm record keeping, as well as community organizing. It is integral that they learn and acquire such knowledge to further their skill set and to create a core of farmer scientist trainer that will conduct more FSTP trainings particularly its Phase III”, says FSTP Focal Person Noriel Kris O. Santillan.    

The farmer-scientist participants are required to undergo a refresher course training to ensure that they are capable to conduct the farmer-to-farmer training. This training also underscores sharing of their field knowledge and skills they have learned from the FSTP training to other farmers as a requirement of the training course. The farmer scientist will serve as the resource person to share and discuss specific topics in corn-based production system in their respective barangays and neighboring farming community. They will also experience research by establishing an experiment farm where different trials and treatments are conducted which will be useful for technology dissemination and transfer with their other farmer-participants.

FSTP was crafted through Executive Order No. 710, Series of 2008 also known as the “Nationwide Adoption of the Corn-based Farmer-Scientists Research, Development and Extension Training Program for Sustainable Agricultural Development to Liberate Poor Farmers from the Bondage of Poverty and Hunger.”

The program was first implemented in 2021 with a viable goal of enhancing farmer’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes through its three season-long training program along with the conduct of research and experiments.

In a nutshell, Phase I inculcates participants with teaching of moral and spiritual values, research methods, and technical empowerment. While Phase II is focused on the replication of the experiments conducted in their respective farms. By Phase III, the farmer-scientists teach their fellow farmers, as trainers, the technologies that they had already adopted.

The Farmer Scientist Refresher Training Course transpired on March 7-9, 2023, in collaboration with FSTP-UPLB and LGU-MAO in Kitaotao, Bukidnon. (with reports from Noriel Kris O. Santillan, Training Specialist II)

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