The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), through the Policy and Planning Division (PPD), conducted the three batches of validation sessions of the Extension and Training Commodity Roadmaps for the FY 2026–2030. Like weaving a complex yet purposeful fabric, the validation sessions served as a venue to present the synthesized regional roadmaps, generate insights from stakeholders, and align priorities across six key commodities: rice, corn, beef cattle, coconut, coffee, and cacao.
“We need to beef up our extension and training commodity roadmaps and align them with the thrusts of the Department, one commodity roadmap at a time,” stressed ATI Assistant Director Antonieta J. Arceo, who emphasized the importance of consistent alignment with DA policies and national priorities throughout the process.
Each batch contributed a unique thread to this collective extension weave. The first batch focused on rice and corn, highlighted the MaSaGaNa and MAISan strategic frameworks which emphasized climate-smart strategies, clustering and consolidation, and the use of situational data for more needs-based interventions. The second batch featured beef cattle and coconut, introducing the BEEF-UP and NIYOG frameworks and spotlighting the need for institutional collaboration, improved input and service delivery, and enterprise development. The final batch centered on coffee and cacao, with the Brewing KAPE and Cacao 2030 strategies addressing productivity gaps, standards, and value chain integration.
Further, these commodity extension strategic frameworks are built around six key result areas aligned with core value chain segments: input supply, production, postharvest, processing, and marketing, and are complemented by cross-cutting strategies on institutional development, policy support, and capacity building. Collectively, these form the backbone of strategic interventions that aim to contribute to the achievement of the agriculture and fisheries extension strategic objectives and the goals of the national commodity industries.
Much like a loom bringing together different threads, the validation sessions reflected ATI’s bottom-up approach in commodity roadmap planning. These were stitched together through various regional and national consultations and learning sessions. “This is the first of its kind, a unified extension and training roadmap per commodity. It is not just a framework but a legacy that ATI is building for the future of agricultural development,” said Dr. Evelyn Aro-Esquejo, former ATI Deputy Director, who served as resource person and expert and who guided the discussions during all three batches.
As the roadmap process continues, the weaving does not stop. The initial six extension and training commodity roadmaps will undergo enhancement and finalization phase which will form the core of the National Extension and Training Roadmap for Priority Commodities for FY 2026–2030.
Towards the end, the participants were challenged with a call to action: “So, are you ready to pick up the next thread, refine what has begun, and complete the extension fabric [commodity roadmap] of transformation?”
The three validation sessions were conducted online via Zoom on May 23, 2025 (Batch 1: Rice and Corn), June 11, 2025 (Batch 2: Beef Cattle and Coconut), and June 30, 2025 (Batch 3: Coffee and Cacao) gathering key representatives and perspectives from the ATI Central Office Divisions as well as the Network of Training Centers.
