CAGWAIT, Surigao del Sur- Twenty (20) participants from Cagwait, Surigao del Sur joined in the training on Digital Farmers Program 101 on February 21-22, 2022. This comprised with ten (10) farmers and (10) youths as partners during the workshop.

The DFP 101 is the introductory course to the three-level program that aims to encourage farmers to utilize smartphones, the internet, agricultural applications, and social media marketing in boosting their farming productivity.

During the program, Municipal Agriculturist Gilbert Bautista encouraged everyone particularly farmers to learn and familiarize their smartphones and discover its uses which can help their farming activities. He also motivates the youth to assist their parents in accessing the internet as well as discovering and utilizing various agricultural applications that are now available online for the farmers.

Within the 2-day training, farmers were able to familiarize the parts and functions of their smartphones and its benefits. They learned to access the internet at the same time performed its tasks and functions. They were also able to identify social media apps and agri apps that can help them in their farming practices. Explain internet safety basics and enumerate tips on how they can protect themselves from possible scams. On the other hand, the youth were able to assist the farmers in using digital tools and technologies at the same time created connections with farmer participants.

Resource Persons of the said training were Ressell Angelie Fetalsana, Information Officer II who also served as the Project Officer. Ginalyn Arbutante, Information Officer II, Maria Den Parro, Agriculturist I and John Paul Abonitalla, Technical Staff. They also served as the members of the Training Management Team from the Information Services Section (ISS) of the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC 13).

The success of the training would not be possible without the support from the Local Government Unit of Cagwait, SDS through the Municipal Agriculture Office represented by the Agricultural Extension Worker Irene Consuegra who did the arrangements of the venue and attendance of the participants.

The ATI-RTC 13 spearheaded series of training on Digital Farmers Program DFP in the region. This project is in partnership with SMART Communications, Inc., which consists of a ladderized approach in teaching farmers with basic digital tools and technologies, particularly social media.