MAMBAJAO, Camiguin—In an effort to enhance access to agricultural and fisheries information for local farmers and fishers in Camiguin, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist has established Farmers' Information and Technology Services (FITS) Kiosks in 58 barangays.
This initiative complements the existing 82 FITS Kiosks located in other barangays, Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSAs), farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), as well as a provincial nursery in the region.
The FITS Kiosk serves as the community-level extension of the FITS Centers and provides ready access to information, education, and communication materials and services for farmers, fishers, students, and other individuals.
The establishment of the FITS Kiosks and FITS Centers is part of the Techno Gabay Program of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) which aims to bring technology-based information and services closer to end users in the agriculture and fisheries sector.
At present, over 1,000 FITS Centers were established in the provincial, municipal, and city government units nationwide. These are usually located and managed by the local agricultural office.
In Northern Mindanao, there are around 60 operational FITS Centers, six of which are found in Camiguin.
Meanwhile, around 300 FITS Kiosks have been established in the country. These are located in the barangays, LSAs, state universities and colleges, and local offices of the Department of Agriculture.
According to provincial agriculturist and FITS Manager Aida Chan, the establishment of the 58 barangay FITS Kiosks in Camiguin was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, with around Php1 million allocated for the project.
To acknowledge the efforts of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Camiguin, ATI Director Remelyn Recoter presented a plaque of recognition to Chan who was joined by other local government representatives. Assistant Director Antonieta Arceo and ATI Northern Mindanao Center Director Maria Lydia Echavez were also present in the event.
This also coincided with the turnover of after-training support for the second stage of the Enterprise Rearing Approach Expedition under the implementation of the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES) in Camiguin. The package consists of equipment and materials, such as a dehydrating machine, cap sealer, and pH meter, to help modernize agricultural processes and ensure optimal productivity in the locality.
The activity took place during the Review and Planning Workshop for 2025 and Evaluation of Priorities and Development Target-Setting for 2026 of the ATI Mindanao Cluster on February 26-29, 2024, in Mambajao, Camiguin.
