DILIMAN, Quezon City—Recognizing that the youth is the hope of the nation, the Department of Agriculture, its attached agencies and bureaus, together with other partner institutions, continue to innovate and create programs that will harness the potential of the youth related to agriculture and its opportunities.
The San Mariano Elementary School (SMES) which was established in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro in 1946, is one of the partners of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). According to Grade 4 Teacher Alejo Encarnacion, agriculture is taught and integrated into the subjects since 1998.
In a radio interview, he described the ways how they teach students on how to plant from seedlings, crop management, and fertilizer application during their hands-on gardening activity.
Through their partnership with the ATI and the Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI), the SMES received copies of the “AgriKids” videos which were given to teachers of Kinder to Grade 2 students.
Since 2019, the ATI has started its initiative to create a program targeting the youth, particularly grade school students, through the AgriKids in partnership with the KCFI.
The AgriKids videos are viewed by SMES students during their gardening time, vacant time, and agriculture-related classes.
Meanwhile, Encarnacion said that their garden’s produce include string beans, eggplant, squash, okra, radish, sweet potato, among others. These harvests are usually distributed to the students especially the identified malnourished.
Encarnacion highlighted that the students are always happy and excited about getting their gardening tools and whenever they are asked to do outdoor activities. They are proud that what they harvest and eat are products of their effort.
“Mahalagang magkaroon ng agricultural activities dahil diyan talaga nanggagaling ang pagkain ng mga mamamayan,” Encarnacion noted during the briefing prior to the broadcast.
[“It is important to have agricultural activities because these are the source of food for the people.”]
For more details, watch Encarnacion’s full interview about the topic aired last February 25. This episode is available for streaming at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=502699285176405
