October 10, 2017

In this year that marks the sustainability phase of the Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM), agricultural extension workers (AEW’s) enhanced their crop health skills to further deliver their role of transferring and communicating new technologies to Filipino rice farmers.

A total of 77 AEW’s from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Offices Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Caraga; and Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-ARMM attended the Crop Health Training to strengthen their knowledge and skills, and earn practical experience on the assessment of pest injuries, characterization of production situation, and measurement of yield in farmers’ fields.

After the training, AEW’s in turn were expected to share their gained knowledge and skills with rice farmers and to build their capacity in identifying, assessing, and conducting real-time monitoring of pests and pest injuries in their fields. Such capacity will enable the AEW’s and rice farmers to adopt tactical and strategic pest management practices.

Experts Dindo King Donayre, Leonardo Marquez, and Zenaida Flores from the Philippine Rice Research Institute; Ulysses Duque from the Bureau of Plant Industry; and Joselito Villa, Nancy Castilla, John Bethany Macasero, Casiana Vera Cruz, II Ryong Choi, Carmencita Bernal, and Sylvia Villareal from IRRI led the discussions.

The training lasted from 11 to 14 September and 18 to 22 September 2017 at the International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna. The first two batches of Crop Health Training were held last 13 to 15 September and 19 to 22 September of the previous year.

Source: PRISM Bulletin