BAYBAY CITY, Leyte – The Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center VIII (ATI-RTC 8) successfully conducted the Training on Basic Agricultural Extension Course (BAEC) on June 22–26, 2026 at the ATI-RTC 8 Training Center, VSU Campus, Baybay City, Leyte. The five-day activity gathered 23 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from across Eastern Visayas, the majority of whom came from Leyte Province and are assigned under the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP).
The training aimed to strengthen the participants' foundational knowledge and skills in agricultural extension, enabling them to deliver more responsive and effective extension services in their respective communities. Through a combination of lectures, workshops, and experiential learning activities, participants gained a deeper understanding of the principles of agricultural extension, communication strategies, extension approaches and modalities, community engagement, and the evolving role of agricultural extension workers.
The participants also took part in activities designed to enhance self-awareness and personal development, recognizing that effective extension work begins with understanding one's role as a development worker. Interactive discussions and workshops encouraged participants to reflect on their strengths, improve communication skills, and develop approaches for building meaningful relationships with farming communities.
One of the highlights of the training was the farm stay immersion, which allowed participants to experience the daily lives of farmers firsthand under the principle of "Stay with the Farmer, Live with the Farmer." The participants were deployed in small groups to five partner learning farms in Baybay City, Leyte: CCF Integrated Farm in Brgy. Bubon, J & G Integrated Farm in Brgy. Kabungaan, GOLD Farm in Brgy. Kan-Ipa, Chandria Integrated Farm in Brgy. Gacat, and BAHIFFA Farm in Brgy. Hipusngo.
During the immersion, participants assisted in various farm activities, interacted closely with their host farmers, and conducted interviews to better understand their farming practices, aspirations, and the challenges they encounter. Moreover, staying overnight in the farming communities, the participants gained valuable insights into the realities of farm life and developed a greater appreciation of the circumstances that influence farmers' decisions and livelihoods.
The immersion concluded with the preparation of a Farm Stay Journal and Farm Stay Log, where participants documented their observations, reflected on their experiences, and identified opportunities for improving extension interventions based on the needs of the farming households they visited. They later presented their key learnings and shared how the experience reshaped their understanding of community-based agricultural extension.
The activity emphasized that effective agricultural extension goes beyond transferring technologies. It requires extension workers to build trust, understand the realities faced by farmers, and work alongside communities in identifying practical and sustainable solutions to agricultural concerns.
Hence, by providing AEWS with opportunities to strengthen both their technical competencies and community engagement skills, ATI-RTC VIII continues to support the development of capable extension professionals who can effectively serve farming communities across Eastern Visayas. Through initiatives such as the Basic Agricultural Extension Course, the Center remains committed to improving the quality of extension services and advancing sustainable agricultural development throughout the region. (with reports from Keith Leviticus Quilos)
