Butuan City Butuan City – The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 13 hosted the mid-assessment of the School-on-the-Air on Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) on July 28, 2023, at the Office of the City Agriculturist, Tiniwisan, Butuan City. A total of 24 coordinators attended the event. 

In his welcome message, City Agriculturist Engr. Pierre Anthony D. Joven thanked ATI for the interventions extended, such as this SOA. He stressed that this cooperative project serves as a training ground for the AEWs to develop their potential as the program anchors and resource persons for various issues, besides offering information and technology to the farmers. 

Meanwhile, Ms. Joan B. Dela Torre, program anchor and overall SOA coordinator, delivered updates on the SOA's progress, including the number of registrants, the distribution of quizzes and examinations, and the evaluation of resource people. She continued by saying that the coordinators' current problem is retrieving these necessary documents and other reports.

Mr. Fil Victor A. Babanto, Chief of the Information Services Section, recognized the City Agriculture Office's invaluable assistance with the SOA implementation, including the delivery of numerous training sessions particularly the recently concluded Digital Farmers Program 101 and 102. He mentioned the plan for the unified conduct of the post-assessment and technology forum on September 27-29, 2023, to discuss matters for the upcoming graduation ceremonies. 

The SOA, which commenced on May 26, 2023, enlists 600 farmers from 47 participating barangays in Butuan City.