The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) RTC 5, in partnership with Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), conducted a training of trainers on the Digital Farmersβ Program (DFP) at Daet, Camarines Norte on June 21-23, 2022.
A total of 26 participants were equipped to become trainers to capacitate farmers in agricultural digitization. The training of trainers is the third batch of a regional-wide program with the prime objective to disseminate, and integrate technological advancement in farming using different digital agriculture applications in the everyday chores of farmers. These digital applications were developed by the Department of Agriculture, PhilRice, and DOST such as e-Extension, Payong PAGASA, Rice Crop Manager, Rice Doctor, e-Damuhan, Binhing Palay, Plant Doctor, and others. Different e-commerce platforms such as PayMaya, GCash, and Facebook marketplace were also taught as an effective and easiest way of trading product, and payment transactions.
Participants of the training were from different ATIβs Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSAs), Municipal Agriculture Office, Provincial Agriculture Office, and Farmer Organization Leaders in Camarines Norte. Part of the activity is the conduct of demo teaching wherein participants showed their teaching skills and learnings from the digital agriculture course. Ms. Rona Dollentas, the Supervising Science Research Specialist from PhilRice, served as a resource person who discussed different apps on rice diseases and nutrient management. Mr. Karlos Miguel Haber, the Science Research Analyst from the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, discussed the basic internet safety tips and GPS Field Area Measure. Other useful digital farming applications, online commerce, and smartphone 101 were shared by ATI-RTC 5 staff, Mr. Danico Canave, Mr. Christian Tosoc, and Mr. Michael Villazar.