“I’ve learned most especially about emotional intelligence and social mobilization. We should be more capable of managing our emotions, especially when interacting with our farmers. Also, that we should have the utmost patience and understanding when facing them,” Moen D. Dinamling, agricultural extension worker from the Local Government Unit-Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya shared during the conduct of Training on Basic Agricultural Extension Course for New Agricultural Extension at the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 02 (ATI-TC 02), Malasin, San Mateo, Isabela on March 24-28, 2025

Forty-seven AEWs attended the Training on Basic Agricultural Extension Course, composed of 20 females and 27 males from the provinces across the Cagayan Region. This course was offered to newly hired agricultural extension workers and to those who did not have training on the extension delivery system for the past years of their service in their respective municipality.

Engr. Leomar S. Constantino, AEW from LGU-Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, said that knowing character is one of the vital requirements for an extensionist. “In personal awareness and self-mastery, I have learned that being an agricultural extension worker requires knowing first about ourselves. From knowing what our characters are, how we handle our emotions, most especially when we are delivering with our main clients, our farmers. And with that we might master/know well who we are. I also learned about the basics of agricultural extension-all about the history, where, and why we came up with being an agricultural extension service. About the agricultural extension systems. Lastly, about the communication in extension, in this topic, I have learned how to communicate effectively, how to handle and how to speak fluently in front of a crowd, and how to always have a neutral relationship with the people/clients.”

During the discussion, the participants were able to assess themselves and identify their areas for self-improvement in the lesson of personal awareness and self-mastery through Engr. Beverly S. Orpilla, Media Production Specialist II. They also learned the basics of agricultural extension by knowing the different extension approaches, methods, interventions, modalities, and innovations discussed by Ms. Noemi O. Valdez, Training Specialist II. This topic can help them identify strategies on how they will deliver extension services or projects to the farmers.

They also learned about the basics of extension communication that guide them on how they will deliver effectively and efficiently the different extension services that were presented by Mr. Vladimir B. Caliguiran, Chief of the Information Services Section. The social mobilization and community work were discussed by Ms. Francisca C. Yuro, who helped them realize their work in the community as an extensionist. They were also exposed to the Barangay Diamantina, Cabatuan, Isabela, applying various tools that they can use to identify tailored interventions and possible solutions to the problems/issues identified in the community.

~Career Development and Management Section (CDMS)