SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija—A three-year plan that will guide operating units in delivering services to extension clients is being developed by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), following the strategic policies of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The ATI’s development plan for 2024 to 2026 will include programs, projects, and activities geared towards food security, sufficiency, and affordability, and for a strong agricultural value chain.
The plan is being crafted out of the proposals from the central office and 16 training centers nationwide, all of which were represented during a workshop led by the Policy and Planning Division (PPD) last June 19-22, 2023 at the Philippine Carabao Center in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
ATI Central Luzon Center Director Regional Training Center Director Joey Belarmino welcomed the participants of the workshop. He provided an overview of the region’s landscape, as well as the ongoing partnerships of their center to support the development of the local agriculture sector.
Meanwhile, in her message, ATI Director Remelyn Recoter stressed that the ATI should not be doing business as usual in delivering its services. She underscored the need to maintain the relevance of the Institute by coming up with innovative ways and extension modalities that will cater to the modern times.
She also talked about how important it is for the ATI’s training centers to know the profile of their respective areas of responsibility so that they can respond to the needs of their clients.
“We would like our clients to be updated on any recent developments in technologies because our goal is to enhance their productivity and profitability," she said.
Other priority areas that she mentioned include enhancing the competencies of extension workers and other human resources; standardization of guidelines on Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSAs) and Private Extension Service Providers (ESPs); and strengthening partnerships with other institutions to come up with innovative extension modalities.
Assistant Director Antonieta Arceo also spoke with the participants of the workshop and highlighted the importance of innovation. She also urged the attendees to tap more LSAs and ESPs to conduct training and other related programs in the community level.
Recoter and Arceo also provided inputs on the proposed three-year development plans of the divisions and units at the ATI central office and of the 16 training centers.
Prior to the review of the proposed development plans, PPD-National Extension System Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Section chief Gay Ritchel Dianala presented the Draft ATI Corporate Plan for 2023-2028. The plan outlines the strategies of the Institute under its new key result areas as capacity-builder, knowledge bank, and catalyst of agriculture and fisheries extension.
Likewise, PPD-Policy and Standards Development Section representative Roy Son De La Cruz talked about the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System or PAFES. Budget Officer Leonila Caiz also discussed the 2024 Plans and Proposals of the ATI, which were submitted to the Department of Budget and Management through the Online Submission of Budget Proposal.
Around 50 ATI staff from the central office and the training centers were present in the workshop. The overall plan will be submitted to the DA in July 2023.
