CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In hopes of contributing to the DA’s effort of the rice-based farm business approach, production, income, and livelihood of the rice farmers, the ATI, through the Partnership and Accreditation Division trained its technical personnel, particularly the rice program and LSA focal persons from the Regional Training Centers (RTCs) on August 7 – 11, 2023 at the Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village.
The activity entitled “Instilling knowledge on strategic rice-based enterprise clustering approach: Training of Trainers (TOT) on Agro-Enterprise Clustering Development,” aimed to capacitate the focal persons in managing and improving the implementation of various plans of the NRP through a clustering and consolidation approach.
One of the resource persons, Mr. Wilfredo Alfonso, Senior Agriculturist from LGU-San Jose, Nueva Ecija, presented the overview of the rice program and the rice clustering and consolidation. He also discussed the overview of the Agro-Enterprise Clustering Approach (AECA), emphasizing the three phases, namely: Organizing and Information Gathering for Business Preparation; Agro-Enterprise Planning for Collective Marketing; and, AE Implementation and Improvement Phase. Other speakers are from the Xavier University -Ateneo de Cagayan.
The trainees formulated and presented their cluster enterprise development plan as part of the TOT requirement.
Joining other technical staff from the different RTCs are Matt Andrew G. Baquiano, Senior Agriculturist, and Matt Janfour B. Cabahug, Alternate Rice program focal of the RTC-13.
2. Coco farmers in Agusan Norte and Sur graduate from SOA on Coconut Production
BUTUAN CITY & AGUSAN DEL SUR - Over 600 graduates received certificates as proof of completion with the four-month School-on-the-Air (SOA) on Coconut Production conducted by the ATI-RTC 13 in coordination with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) – 13, and the Provincial Agriculture Offices of Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte from May to September 2023.
The mass graduation was held in two separate gatherings: on October 17, 2023, at the Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center, Butuan City for Agusan del Norte and Butuan City with a total of 320 graduates, and, on October 23, 2023, at the Naliyagan Ground, Government Center, Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur for Agusan del Sur with 290 graduates.
The participating LGUs are Buenavista, Cabadbaran City, Jabonga, Kitcharao, Las Nieves, Magallanes, RTR, Santiago, Tubay, all of Agusan del Norte, and Butuan City, and the municipalities of Bunawan, Esperanza, La Paz, Loreto, Prosperidad, Rosario, San Francisco, San Luis, Sibagat, Talacogon, Veruela, and Bayugan City.
The graduates received their certificates of completion, while top-performing graduates per municipality received tokens. Municipal SOA coordinators and resource persons also received certificates of appreciation and tokens.
The SOA commenced on May 25, 2023, and aired every Thursday from 5:00-6:00 am over Hope Radio – Butuan until September 21, 2023, with Ms. Ernalyn Colon as program anchor.
