TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region IV-A has trained agricultural teachers, education program supervisors, department heads and principals from Department of Education’s (DepEd) school divisions of Quezon province on organic agriculture (OA) theories, practices and principles.
The DA, through its extension training arm Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), arranged the participants’ field visits, lecture and workshop from May 22 to 24 at Cortijo de Palsabangon Farm, Park & Restaurant in Pagbilao, Quezon.
ATI Calabarzon Information Services Section Chief Dr. Rolando V. Maningas said the activity was part of the Institute’s vision to expand its partnership and that the DepEd engagement was a great opportunity and channel in delivering extension services.
The attending educators first toured three of ATI Calabarzon’s learning sites under the OA program, namely the Uma Verde Eco Nature Farm, Candelaria; Ka Mulong’s Farm, Sariaya; and Cortijo de Palsabangon Farm, Park & Restaurant, Pagbilao in Quezon province.
In this activity, the 23 participants learned farm operations from the cooperators including feeds formulation.
For the lecture part, Ma. Leonellie Dimalaluan, of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist–Quezon, discussed the principles and practices of OA, while Glemechille Maestro of Southern Luzon State University provided hands-on activity on preparing different concoctions.
A workshop on integrating the OA Curriculum to K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum followed, where the participants were divided into four groups: grades 4 – 6 (elementary), grades 7 & 8, and grades 11 & 12 (senior high school) for Agricultural Crop Production level I (ACP NC I) and NC II. Afterwards, each group presented outputs relating to integration of OA in their curriculum guide.
The OA Integration for K – 12 curricula is pursuant to Republic Act 10068, otherwise known as “Organic Agriculture Act of the Philippines of 2010,” an Act providing for the development and promotion of organic agriculture in the Philippines and for other purposes. (Gladys Pino/PNA)
