The Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center XII, through its Information Services Section, virtually organized an inception meeting with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to discuss the 2024 targets of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Program (CFIDP) under the Strategic Communications initiative.

Key agenda items included the proposed implementation of the School On-the-Air (SOA) Program in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, the establishment of Farmers' Information and Technology Services (FITS) Centers and FITS Kiosks across BARMM, the organization of the 1st CocoAsenso Techno Forum, and the production of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials tailored for coconut farmers.

During the meeting, OIC-Center Director Shirley L. Beldia expressed gratitude to PCA-BARMM for their proactive partnership and collaborative efforts in advancing CFIDP activities within the region.

Sharing insights from past experiences, Mr. Alfahar Saiddi, PCA Sulu Agriculturist and former SOA Provincial Coordinator, elaborated on the best practices and challenges encountered during the SOA implementation in Sulu. Information Officer II John Lord Auman provided a comprehensive overview of the CFIDP targets set for BARMM under the strategic communications framework.

Prominent attendees at the virtual gathering included OIC-Regional Manager Datumanong Pendi of PCA-BARMM, PDO III Lester Jake Dela Cerna, Division Chief I Nuraina Ingkagan, Division Chief I Mr. Diosdado Espinosa Jr., Agriculturist II Lemuel Soriano, along with Hannadi Guiamad-Pompong, Information Officer III at ATI-RTC XII, and Information Officer II John Lord Auman and Technical Staff Jovellena Simbulan.

For further details, kindly visit our website at https://ati2.da.gov.ph/ati-12/content/. Do you also want to learn various agri-fishery technologies? Visit our YouTube channel through this link: https://www.youtube.com/@atisox. #ATISOX #ATIiNspire #ishareknowledge