COTABATO CITY — Some 800 farmers across Region 12 (Soccsksargen) are now equipped with modern farming technology and effective techniques to increase productivity and profits after they graduated Friday from the Department of Agriculture (DA) “School on the Air” (SOA) program.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who attended the graduation of the farmers at the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, said the farmers received their DA certification on acquired farming techniques by listening to the radio while at the comfort of their homes and farms.
“The enrolled farmer-beneficiaries, who are from the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato, specifically learned the DA program on farm mechanization and climate change mitigation,” Piñol said.
Moreover, he said the farmers also learned about effective means to combat infestation like black bug attacks, stem borer, and rats, thereby increasing their productivity and profits.
Piñol urged all farmers in the region to participate in all DA programs that primarily aim to improve production and income for the country’s agriculture sector.
The SOA is one of ATI’s distance learning technology package on agriculture and fisheries-related matters. It is a sequence of radio programs that systematically and progressively present agricultural subject matters and aired for a period of not less than three months.
The program includes the use of enhancing mechanisms or tools, such as short messaging system (SMS), Internet, and telephone. A certificate is given to the enrollees after completion of the course. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
