PARANA, Samar - A total of 58 farmers from the Patag-Tabucan Irrigators Association were recently briefed on the Rice Crop Manager Advisory Services (RCMAS), which is the first batch spearheaded by the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center VIII (ATI-RTC 8). The initiative aimed to promote the Rice Crop Manager (RCM) tool to help rice farmers improve their productivity and adopt better, science-based crop management practices.
The activity was in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Paranas and facilitated by Municipal Agricultural Technologist Alexander Yape, a graduate of the RCMAS Training of Trainers program. He provided an overview of the program and emphasized how RCMAS offers tailored crops and nutrient management advice based on specific field conditions. This tool is part of a larger strategy in digital agriculture to support food security by increasing rice yields and farmer incomes through timely, research-based guidance.
During the sessions, some challenges arose, including the absence of several invited farmers in the online Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture. Because of this, those farmers had to be registered manually to continue with the interviews. Additionally, unstable internet connection led the team to use RCM’s offline feature so the interviews and data collection could proceed without interruption.
Despite these challenges, the activity was successful, generating 60 RCMAS recommendations. These personalized advisories are expected to help farmers make better decisions about fertilizer application and other field-specific practices. Through this initiative, ATI-RTC 8 continues to support digital tools in agriculture, empowering farmers in remote areas with innovations that can greatly improve their productivity and resilience.
