BUTUAN CITY – There were 22 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and one Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) Cooperator who successfully completed the three-day Training Course on Plant Propagation and Nursery Accreditation spearheaded by the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) XIII on April 20-22, 2022 at Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center.

The activity aimed to capacitate the participants in plant nursery, establishment, management, and accreditation. The partakers were able to identify the requirements and protocols of accreditation of plant nursery establishment and discussed the importance and significance of the process of plant nursery accreditation and plant material certification for quality planting materials. They also enumerated the different plant propagation techniques.

Melanio Catayas Jr. of Butuan City Agriculture Office served as the resource person for the topics on nursery establishment, management, and asexual propagation. He also led the hands-on demonstration on the proper way of collecting scion for grafting held at the City’s Integrated Farm located at Barangay Pigdaulan.

On the other hand, Lita Amancia Yandug, Chief of National Seed Quality Control Services (NSQCS), discussed guidelines and regulatory requirements and procedures in nursery accreditation and planting materials certification.

The guidelines for the establishment of the scion grove were explained by Michael Angelo T. Agbulos, Agriculturist II of the Department of Agriculture – Caraga Region.

“The main thrust of ATI is to provide us (AEWs) access, progress, and quality technology and learnings in relation to agricultural fields. After having attended these three days of training, I would like to challenge myself to engage in this change to adopt the accreditation of nursery in my city,” said Joar B. Aleria, one of the participants from the Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.

Moreover, the said training was done in partnership with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).