Thu, 06/19/2025 - 09:19

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The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center II (ATI-RTC 02), in partnership with PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. and the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 02 formally launched the 2025 roll out of Digital Farmers Program (DFP) for F2C2 on June 17, 2025 at DISADECO, Diffun, Quirino.

The event featured a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between key stakeholders, marking the start of a collaborative effort to strengthen digital literacy and promotion of modern technologies among farmers in the region.

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Present during the launching and MOA signing were Dr. Claris M. Alaska, OIC-Center Director of ATI-RTC 02; Mr. Vladimir B. Caliguiran, OIC-ACD/Chief of the Information Services Section; Dr. Realson C. Corbe, Municipal Agriculturist of Diffun, Quirino; Mr. Cayetano C. Absalon, OIC-Municipal Agriculturist of Ramon, Isabela and Ms. Marciana D. Foryasen, Chairperson of DISADECO. Representing Regional Executive Director Dr. Rose Mary G. Aquino of DA-RFO 02 was Mr. Salvador Bulda, Station Manager of DA-Quirino Experiment Station.

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Also in attendance were representatives from local government units and nine participating farmer cooperative and associations from different clusters that will undergo training under the DFP this year.

These cooperatives are:

• Saint Jerome Parish Multipurpose Cooperative – Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya

• Sto. Domingo Agriculture Cooperative – Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya

• Diffun Saranay Development Cooperative – Diffun, Quirino

• Baro A Langa Ti Mannalon Agriculture Cooperative – Gamu, Isabela

• RAMCOR Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative – Ramon, Isabela

• NDC-5 Council of Irrigators’ Association – San Manuel, Isabela

• Masisit-Dacal Livelihood Cooperative – Sanchez Mira, Cagayan

• G10 Council of Irrigators Association – Santiago City, Isabela

• Solana West Farmers Cooperative – Solana, Cagayan

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In her remarks, DISADECO Chairperson Ms. Marciana Foryasen expressed full support for the initiative. “We embrace all government development programs, especially those from the Department of Agriculture, because our shared goal is poverty alleviation that no Filipino farmer must be left behind,” she stated.

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Representing DA-RFO 02, Mr. Bulda congratulated ATI-RTC 02 and emphasized the value of DFP in improving farmers’ income through technology. “With reduced production costs and access to better tools, our farmers will thrive. We are committed to supporting programs like this,” he added.

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Dr. Alaska expressed confidence in the program's success, citing strong support from the partner farm clusters. “We are hopeful that with the cooperation of our nine pilot cooperatives, the Digital Farmers Program will serve as a model for other regions,” she said.

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The Digital Farmers Program is an ICT-based capability-building initiative developed in partnership with PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. It aims to equip farmers with digital tools and knowledge to make informed decisions, access wider markets, and enhance their resilience and livelihood.

The program has four main components the DFP Farm Learn, DFP Farm Tech, DFP Farm Connect and DFP Farm Seal.

In support of this goal, participants will also receive a DFP Farm Tech package, a comprehensive set of tools designed to serve as a portable training resource for farming communities. The package includes a utility bag with rain cover, tablet, smartphones, Pocket Wifi with starter load, portable daylight projector and foldable projector screen, portable sound system, flash drives, and DFP Farm Learn (DFP 101, 102, 103) training modules. It also contains other agriculture-related information, education, and communication materials, ensuring that recipients have access to valuable content even in remote or low-connectivity areas.

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Immediately following the launching, the pilot implementation of DFP Farm Learn (101, 102, and 103) commenced for DISADECO members. The training runs from June 17 to 20, 2025, providing foundational digital skills and farming applications to participating farmer clusters. Some of the topics to be discussed include agri-apps, social media marketing, and agricultural drones.

The Digital Farmers Program is part of the Department of Agriculture’s effort to modernize Philippine agriculture and ensure inclusive growth through technology-driven solutions.

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