Twenty-five (25) agricultural extension workers and corn coordinators from Central Luzon finished the Season-long Training of Trainers (SL-TOT) on Integrated Crop Management for Corn leading to NC II through a graduation ceremony conducted at Palayan City, Nueva Ecija on July 14, 2023.
The season-long training of trainers on integrated crop management for corn, which ran for around 5 months, served as a training ground for AEWs to learn the necessary technologies and communication skills to effectively deliver the knowledge they have gained.
Engr. Remelyn R. Recoter, National Director of ATI, challenged the AEWs to be the catalyst to the farmers for the sustainable development of corn production in the region.
βIt is our role in the DA to tap all the possible partners for development who will paint a brighter future in the sector, and the AEWs are a big part of the picture. Magsisimula ang lahat ng ito sa pagbabahagi ng inyong kaalaman at kasanayan na mas marami pang lokal na pamahalaan at komunidad. In other words, rigorous work starts after this training,β she stressed.
Meanwhile, Dr. Joey A. Belarmino, ATI-CL Center Director, introduced Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform who served as the Keynote Speaker for the event. He also said that this season-long training aims to develop pool of experts in integrated crop management for corn in the region.
Sen. Cynthia A. Villar delivered her speech in a video message and she expressed her support to the graduates and encouraged them to share their learnings to the farmers in their respective municipalities.
Part of the season-long training is the implementation of Farmersβ Field School (FFS) on Corn Production. In partnership with ATI-CL, DA-RFO III, and Villar SIPAG Foundation, the said FFS were implemented on March 23, 2023 until July 5, 2023 in five (5) sites in Palayan City: Brgy. Mapait; Brgy. Aulo; Brgy. DoΓ±a Josefa; Brgy. Popolon; and Brgy. Marcos Village.Β A total of 113 farmers from the said barangays also graduated from the Farmers Field School (FFS) during the graduation ceremony.
The said SL-TOT on ICM ran from February 27, 2023 to July 14, 2023 in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. (EDLanada)
