Now on its third year, the School-on the-Air on Smart Rice Agriculture (SOA-SRA) continues to reach out to smallholder rice farmers and educate them on the Smart Rice Agriculture through radio. This program shall also link farmers with the knowledge, technologies, and the key providers in the rice industry.
This year, ATI-RTC 8, together with provinces of Southern Leyte and Northern Samar aims to reach out to 2000 rice farmers wherein thirty-six (36) municipalities are targeted to take part in the program.
During two separate orientations held on March 20 and 29, 2023, ATI-RTC 8 SOA Coordinator, Ms. Jonalyn Saulan, convened rice program coordinators and Municipal Agriculturists from the different municipalities in the two provinces. She discussed about the program and how both provinces were selected. Objectives of the SOA and key strategies in the implementation of the program were also presented.
Anchors for the program will be the provincial farm casters which will be provided in coordination with the Provincial Local Government Units. It was also presented during the meetings that transistor radios will be given to confirmed participants of the SOA. However, representatives of the different municipalities have yet to deliberate with their respective Municipal Agriculturists as to how many rice farmers they can facilitate for the program. It was agreed that the final number of participants shall be submitted on April 5, 2023.
The School on the Air on Smart Rice Agriculture covered the Province of Eastern Samar in 2021 and the Provinces of Biliran and Samar in 2022. SOA-SRA is a joint partnership of DA-RFO 8, ATI-RTC 8, PhilRice, Provincial Government Units, the Local Government Units and various State Universities and Colleges in Region 8.
