Twelve Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) representatives, six Local Farmer Technicians (LFT), and two ATI Bicol technical staff participated in the Regional Rollout of the Use of Outcome-Based Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Tool on September 27-29, 2023 at ATI Bicol in Pili, Camarines Sur.
Conducted by ATI Bicol and the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO), the MEL Tool is a data gathering platform that monitors the results of DA interventions among rice farmers using the Digital Tool in Data-Driven Decision Making (4D).
The activity aimed to generate reliable information for DA Managers to evaluate the effectiveness of the various rice program interventions for farmers, particularly the Rice Crop Manager Advisory Services (RCMAS).
This three-day training piloted the administration of the MEL Tool among at least 200 rice farmers in nine barangays in the municipalities of Pili, Bula, and Ocampo, as well as gathered rice production and harvest data for the 2023 Wet Season.
During the Opening Program, Mr. Emmanuel Oroga, OIC-Assistant Center Director of ATI Bicol, gave his Inspiration Message, emphasizing the importance of monitoring the interventions as well as the participation of the LFTs and LSAs in the process.
Guided by the Resource Persons – namely Ms. Vivian Ayo and Mr. Irvin Morco of from DA-RFO – the trainees accessed the RCMAS User Registration and Verification interphase. Thus, the training produced newly registered and verified RCMAS users.
The training generated the list of randomly selected survey respondents. The list of randomly selected respondents served as basis for the hands-on farmers interviews in the following areas, facilitated by their respective Municipal Agriculture Offices:
- Pili – San Agustin, Himaao, and Bagong Sirang
- Bula – Fabrica, San Miguel, and Ombao-Polpog
- Ocampo – Pinit, San Francisco, and May-Ogob
