Participants show their high spirit in one of the sessions during the training

CEBU. Agricultural extension workers (AEWs) are vital members of the agriculture industry. They provide important services and extension support that help farmers improve their agricultural practices and enhance their productivity. To develop the skills of newly hired AEWs, a three-day Training on Extension Delivery Systems was conducted from May 2-4, 2023, at the Golden Prince Hotel & Suites in Cebu City, Cebu.

The training had several enabling objectives, which included defining extension delivery services, discussing the approaches, strategies and extension methodologies, appreciating the importance of farmers' participation in extension services, improving communication and presentation skills, enhancing skills in facilitating group discussions, and developing skills in preparing visual aids.

Participants came from different municipalities and cities of Liloan, Danao City, Tuburan, Santander, City of Naga, Alegria, Samboan, City of Carcar, Alcantara, Cordova, Sogod, Argao, Minglanilla, Compostela, Badian, San Francisco, Ronda, San Remigio, and Cordova from the province of Cebu.

The main expected output from this training is the microteaching, where participants conducted individual teaching demonstrations among the whole group.

Miss Reigel R. Montecillo of LGU-Tuburan expressed her gratitude and considered it a great privilege to attend the training. She learned different strategies, approaches, and even how to be an efficient communicator, making her confident enough to extend or deliver services to people effectively. 

Mr. John Niňo T. Lucero from LGU-Minglanilla found the training to be very helpful and that it exceeded his expectations. He appreciated the facilities provided and the wise selection of resource persons, who made the training practical and entertaining.

Mr. Lemuel T. Celeste from LGU-Alcantara was also impressed by the skills and knowledge of the different facilitators. He appreciated how they managed their time well and made the training interactive and enjoyable. He found the training to be essential with a lot of tips and good suggestions for extension workers in agriculture.

Overall, the training was a success, achieving its objective of developing the skills of newly-hired AEWs on extension delivery systems. The participants had learned new tools, approaches, strategies, and methods in delivering services to farmers, making them more efficient and productive in their duties as extensionists.