BUTUAN CITY – The 31 participants, composed of Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and farmers, completed the three-day Training on Garlic Production and Management on September 25-27, 2024 held at Golden Tara Hall, ATI-RTC XIII, Los Angeles, Butuan City.

OIC-Center Director Noemi Beth G. Macario, encouraged and challenged the participants to take risks in garlic production by testing it themselves before sharing it with other farmers. Likewise, Mary Jane Gonzaga, Development Management Officer II and project officer, presented the training overview. She related that this training was requested by the Department of Agriculture -Regional Field Office Caraga; hence, the DA is willing to take the challenge of engaging in garlic production.

Noralyn B. Legaspi, a University Researcher at Mariano Marcos State University, shared her knowledge, experience, and expertise in garlic production, from site selection to crop establishment, harvesting, and postharvest handling storage. She also discussed the good agricultural practices (GAP) of garlic nutrient management and insect pest and disease management. 

Guided by the principle of learning by doing, participants underwent a field practicum at Guias Integrated Farm, Nongnong, Butuan City. Each group demonstrated the land preparation, seedling preparation, and planting of garlic.

“This training would help us try new technology that would help our region produce one of the needed crops in our daily diet/home. We hope that sooner this technology will be passed to our farmers that would help them have another source of income,” said Dave Nichol Y. Resurreccion, Agricultural Technologist and one of the participants from Surigao del Norte Provincial Agriculture Office. (with the report from Mary Jane Gonzaga)