The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 02 (ATI-RTC 02) conducted 5-day Training on Trainers on Banana Production on July 22-26, 2024 at ATI-RTC 02 San Mateo, Isabela.  Thirty-one Agricultural Extension workers and banana farm cluster leaders from various municipalities in Region 2 attended the training.

The training aimed to capacitate the participants with knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) on banana production technology. Aside from the lecture-discussion, the participants were able to conduct benchmarking and visited the Banana (Balangon) Plantation in Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya and discovered their best practices and hands-on activities on banana bagging, fertilization techniques, desuckering, deleafing, debudding, and propping.

Cagayan Valley is one of the top banana-producing regions in the country. Banana is one of the popular and major fruits in the region. It is known to be the cheapest and most nourishing fruit which is available throughout the year.

Mr. Nestro Sison, farmer-leader from Maddela, Quirino said that he is looking forward to more trainings. “Nagpapasalamat po ako sa training na ito at malaki po ang naitulong nito sa akin at sa ating lahat…Maging ang ating mga resource person ay magagaling po sila. Kaya nagpapasalamat po ako sa ATI. Pero ang inaalala ko po kung paano natin ito ipagpapatuloy na kung natapos na ba itong training na ito ay may susunod pa? Kasi itong training na ito, tayo na mga farmer-leaders lalabas po tayo sa kanya-kanya nating mga lugar upang itrain din yung iba…Kaya kung maaari po ipinapakiusap po namin sa ATI na sana ay may kasunod pa po specifically sa hands-on para matrain pa po kami lalo. Pero nagpapasalamat po kami especially sa training na ito,” he said.

Majority of the bananas grown in the Philippines are produced by small-scale farmers for home consumption and it is one of the priority commodities in some provinces. Some of the top varieties produced in the region are the balangon in Nueva Vizcaya, saba, and lakatan in Quirino and Isabela which have export potential.

Meanwhile, the Dizon Farms through Mr. joseph Viernesto shared the market opportunities for different banana varieties. He discussed the market requirements for the fresh produce they supply to different supermarkets in the country.

Also, Engr. Jeremy Collado, an AEW-PLGU of Nueva Vizcaya, said that as first-timer attendees, he appreciated the knowledge and lessons that he learned during the training. “Actually, first time ko pong mag-attend ng Training on High Value Crops dahil ako po ay nanggaling sa engineering matters na trabaho at kapo-promote ko lang po as an Agriculturist kaya bagong trabaho po ito para sa akin. During my first year, nangangapa talaga ako. Kaya thankful po ako sa Provincial Agriculturist namin at inutusan po niya ako dito at least ay nagkaroon po ako ng idea. From the first topic on the status of banana industry in Region 2, different varieties of banana, hanggang sa propagation… Kung pagsasamahin po natin ang theoretical at actual ay talagang matututo tayo dahil hindi naman natin basta basta naiaapply mismo sa production at maituturo sa mga farmers yung theoretical kundi kailangan din nating i-consider yung mga practices ng mga farmers na pinuntahan natin…,” he said.