Participants and members of the training management team pose for a group photo after the end of the refresher training course

CENTRAL VISAYAS. A Refresher Training Course on Inbred Rice Seed Production and Certification for Seed Growers was successfully conducted on May 9 – 11, 2023, at Southview Hotel in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. The training aims to update rice seed growers on modern technologies applicable to rice seed production systems, certification criteria and requisites for re-accreditation, and their roles and responsibilities.

The program’s terminal objective is to equip participants with the skills and knowledge necessary for maintaining the quality of their rice seed production and enhancing their productivity. The training had seven enabling objectives which were accomplished throughout the course of the three-day training.

Twenty-one participants successfully completed the training, with each participant coming from different municipalities in Bohol and Negros Oriental provinces. The training allowed the seed growers to gain new and valuable knowledge and skills that would enhance their productivity and reduce expenses with early detection of nutritional needs and diseases of the rice crops.

Participants shared their positive feedback and expressed their gratitude for the new knowledge and personal growth they acquired during the training. Genaro, a seed grower from Candijay, Bohol, said that, “bilang isang trainee, masaya ako nakarating dito sa Southview Hotel, bukod sa dagdag kaalaman sa modernong pamamaraan sa agrikultura, parang reunion na then sa aming mga seed growers.”

Nasignesia, a seed grower from Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, shared that the refresher course helped her identify the needs of the rice crops, and Isidrita, a seed grower from Pilar, Bohol, remarked that the PalayCheck that was introduced during the training was very interesting and fulfilling.

The refresher training course was an excellent opportunity for seed growers to learn new technologies and methods in rice seed production. It allowed them to continue improving the quality of their rice seeds, maintain their accreditation status, and optimize their productivity. The training provided a platform where participants were able to connect, share experiences and challenges, and learn from each other, leading to synergized efforts in achieving a common goal.