The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center III conducted three batches of the training on Digital Agriculture Course for Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (DAC4RCEF) held at Duran Farm, San Ildefonso, Bulacan on April 18-20, 2023 (Batch 1); and Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz on May 22-24, 2023 (Batch 2) and June 19-22, 2023 (Batch 3).
The course aimed to train Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) representatives who are conducting Farmers’ Field School in the implementation of DAC4RCEF.
DAC4RCEf has two ladderized courses that focus on the digital uses of technologies. DAC4RCEF 101 is an introductory course that focuses on Smartphone 101, Accessing the Internet, Internet Safety and Security, Basic Agri ICT Tools, and Social Media Marketing.
Aside from the topics mentioned, the participants also learned and experienced using the Canva App where they were tasked to do a design of their own posters promoting the different products available on their farms. The session also included creating social media content, what font to use, colors, background, and images. Since the modern day is practicing convenient and fastest transactions, they were also taught how to use and create quick response (QR) codes that can also be used in creating promotional materials.
Conversely, DAC4RCEF 102 focuses on in-depth Advanced Agri Apps on Rice, Advanced Social Media Marketing, e-Commerce Platforms, and Online Payment/Transactions.
The participants were able to experience hands-on use of the advanced agriculture applications for them to utilize on their farms. Step-by-step input in the applications such as the Rice Crop Manager Advisory Service, Minus One Element Technique App, and AgriDOC App was demonstrated to the participants as it has multiple features in terms of documenting the data in the farm.
“Bilang isang magsasaka, napakalaki po ng aking natutunan sa pagdalo ng training na ito, kung saan isa itong mahalagang istratehiya na ipinagkaloob sa amin. Isa pang kagandahan nitong training ay naturuan kami na maging isang entrepreneur at tinuruan kaming kumonekta sa tao sa madaling pamamaraan,” said Mr. Honorio T. Alcantara from Batch 1, as he shared his learnings and insights in the training.
As part of the activity in the course, special awards were given to some of the participants such as Best Canva Poster Award, Best Group, Best Dream Board, and Best Social Media Marketing Plan for their contribution to the training.
A total of 62 participants have graduated from the course which was composed of farmer-youth tandems across the region.
DAC4RCEF was created under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund through the Republic Act 11203 known as the Rice Tariffication Law authored by Senator Cynthia A. Villar.
