A five-day Training of Trainers 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-two training participants consisting of agricultural extension workers from different agriculture offices in the Provinces of Bukidnon, Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Oriental were trained to become competent and efficient trainers able to execute and deliver the various topics on corn cluster development.
Farm clustering and consolidation is one of the eight paradigms under the “New Thinking for Philippine Agriculture” advocated by the DA since August 2019. Farm clustering and consolidation need to scale up to attain economies of scale, and Farmers Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) were encouraged to organize themselves to optimize the interventions and assistance provided by the government.
The aforementioned training consisted of lectures, activities and workshops. Supervising Agriculturist Maria Lilith Turan of PAO Bukidnon, Gay Nanette R. Aleria and Joel S. Rudinas of DA-RFO 10, corn specialist Philip D. Villegas, and Cris Lu Q. Salem of CDA-10, Jisa T. Dulay and Noriel Kris O. Santillan served as resource persons for the training. The final output of the training is the submission of individual re-entry plans and Corn Cluster Development Plan by group which were then presented and critiqued by resource persons.
“A development plan is factual, not an imagination. Formulating a development plan must be based on facts.” Says corn specialist, Philip D. Villegas during one of his lectures. The said training transpired from April 24-28, 2023 at Veranda, Casisang, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. (written and submitted by: Gia Joy B. Lusterio)
