BUTUAN CITY—A proposal to bring extension services closer to communities through a mobile learning hub wins the first ever pitching session conducted with the Information Services (IS) staff of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) during the 2022 Knowledge Management Updates.
ATI SOCCSKSARGEN’s pitch for “AgriSerbisyo on Wheels” bested 12 other entries from the IS sections of the Regional Training Centers during the event. The proposal highlights the importance of enhancing access to agri-fishery knowledge products and services in the face of aging farmers and limited extension workforce in the rural areas.
“‘AgriSerbisyo on Wheels’ will complement ATI services and will be a closer one-stop shop of knowledge products and services… [We believe that this will] lessen the resistance of farmers in terms of the adoption of new technologies and will help improve the ATI’s public image, identity, and recognizability in the communities,” ATI SOCCSKSARGEN’s JL Auman said in his presentation.
The proposed project incorporates five component activities, namely, “AgriTsikiting” using the “AgriKids” learning videos for nursery and primary school students; “AgriKabataan” for the promotion of the ATI’s e-Learning program, smart agriculture technologies, and youth empowerment stories; “AgriChamp” which will showcase the ATI’s Learning Sites for Agriculture; “AgriKita” or the local version of Kadiwa on Wheels; and “AgriMatic” for client database.
Meanwhile, ATI Central Visayas’ proposed “ibasa” mobile application for electronic distribution of knowledge products and ATI Caraga’s idea for digital system for Knowledge Resource Center Management bagged the second and third place, respectively. All three winning proposals will receive funding from the ATI Central Office by 2023.
The top three poster presentations were also recognized for the pitches from ATI Central Visayas (“ibasa” mobile app), ATI CALABARZON (barcode system for information, education, and communication materials), and ATI Eastern Visayas (“Sustainable Innovations and Knowledge on Agricultural Technologies”).
In her message, ATI OIC-Assistant Director Niet Arceo congratulated all the IS staff for the new strategies they presented to innovate or improve on the existing programs and projects that they have.
“We, at the ATI Management, will always support the activities of the Information Services because what you do is very important. We rely on you when it comes to information dissemination so that our clients are informed about the ATI’s programs and activities. And we can always do this because of social media and website which are all free,” she said.
Arceo also challenged the IS staff to always share whatever new ideas they have and give their best in everything that they do.
“Let us not stop with what we can offer but think of ways in terms of how we can further improve what we are already offering,” she added.
Aside from the pitching session, the IS staff participated in workshops to assess their 2022 activities, consolidate their targets for 2023, and come up with indicative targets for 2024. All of the Centers were also recognized for their most notable achievements for 2022 through the “IS Achievers’” awarding ceremony.
The KM Updates is an annual event that convenes all IS staff from the ATI’s network of training centers to continually harmonize, strengthen, and strategize the delivery of information services across the country. A total of 72 IS staff from the central office and training centers were present in the activity.
The 2022 KM Updates, with the theme “Communication is Key”, was held from December 6 to 9, 2022 in Butuan City.
