ATI 8, DA-RFO 8 team up for 4DFarms in Leyte

Mon, 05/01/2023 - 09:11
Lucis, Obong, Sinon

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte - Learning Site trainers and staff under the Research Division of DA-RFO 8 specializing in RCMAS attended the Regional Roll out of the Use of Outcome-based Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Tool on April 24, 2023 in Tacloban City, Leyte.

The activity's main focus was to capacitate the participants in the use of outcome-based MEL application linked in the RCMAS database.  The digital tool will be used to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of DA’s Rice programs and its interventions to farmers such as seeds and fertilizer subsidy, access to machinery, and training.

The orientation on the use of the MEL tool is under the 4D Farms project, a digital platform for data-driven decision making in support of the DA’s fertilization strategy through cloud-base Rice Crop Manager Advisory Services and monitoring of rice extension interventions of the DA.

After the  orientation, an intensive 3-day interview in the municipalities of Alangalang, Carigara, and Abuyog was conducted on April 25-27, 2023.

Around 200 rice farmers were monitored using the MEL Tool through the RCMAS website. Data such as their farm information, practices, seeds and fertilizer used or acquired were some of the key information being collected during farmer interviews.

Representatives from the DA-RFO 8’s Research Division and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division, and ATI-RTC 8’s Information Services Section spearheaded the interviews in the 3 municipalities. On the other hand, 5 LS trainers from Alangalang, 5 trainers from Carigara, and 3 from Abuyog assisted the interviews in their respective municipalities.

During her talk, Ms. Maria Rufelie Gula, the new Rice Program Focal person of DA-RFO 8, shared the new strategic directions of the new administration of the Department of Agriculture.” She also shared the importance of digitalization in agriculture and the responsibility assigned to each participant during the activity. “You are the frontliners now because through this 4DFarms, you will be giving ideas to the decision makers about the appropriate interventions they will be providing to the ground-level.

4d farms interview

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