BUTUAN CITY – A total of 26 selected Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) representatives across the region attended the Training on the Use and Operation of the Outcome-based Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Tool under the 4D Farms projects conducted at Gloreto Luxury Hotel, Villanueva St., Butuan City on May 22-24, 2024.

The three-day training aimed to equip participants with the necessary skills to monitor and evaluate the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) rice program interventions. As part of the hands-on activities, the participants conducted a simultaneous interview with 200 rice farmers from Butuan City, RTRomualdez , and Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte.

Topics covered during the training included an overview of the 4D Farm project and its pilot testing phase, an introduction to the Rice Crop Manager Advisory Service (RCMAS), a comprehensive discussion on the MEL tool questionnaire, and strategies for efficient sampling and field deployment. The resource speakers were Ressell Angelie S. Fetalsana and Maria Den B. Parro from the Information Services (IS) Section of ATI-RTC XIII.

In his message during the closing program, Jason Paul Dads E. Jampac, OIC-Chief of the IS Section, emphasized the importance of this training as the world transitions into the 4th Industrial Revolution (4th IR). He highlighted the DA’s commitment to modernizing the agriculture industry through digitalization, noting that the MEL tool is a crucial component of the DA’s Rice Program. "This tool is essential for systematically monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of various rice program interventions, ensuring that we maximize the benefits for our farmers," Jampac stated.