BUTUAN CITY- Spearheaded by the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Unit (PMEU) of Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center XIII, 30 individuals composed of planning officers, agricultural technologists, veterinarians, cooperative leaders, and SUC representatives gathered for the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries (AFE) Strategic Planning Workshop FY 2024 – 2028 conducted at Almont Inland Resort on September 12-16, 2022.

The five-day activity aims to strengthen the competencies and capacities of the participants in the formulation of their AFE strategic plan. This is in connection to Republic Act No. 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act that mandates the formulation of the National AFE Agenda and Budget under the ATI leadership.

Partakers were able to come up with their outputs during their workshops on empathy mapping, stakeholders analysis, engagement, operational planning, external and internal analysis. Also, key concepts on program, activities, tasks, and resources were defined so as to answer the strategic plan that the group had done during the five-day activity.

Resource persons were Ruby-Ann Lagahit - Provincial Agriculturist of Surigao del Norte, Corazon Derro - Agriculturist II of Provincial Agriculture and Veterinary Office (PAVO) Agusan del Sur, Ronald Filipinas - Planning Officer II of Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) Agusan del Norte, and Nena Lomuntad - Planning Officer of ATI-RTC XIII.

“Time is precious and we as change agents in the agriculture sector should put our effort in helping our constituents, our farmers and fisherfolks,” said Engr. Nicandro Navia Jr., the Regional Technical Director for Research of the Department of Agriculture – Caraga Region.