Wednesday, February 4, 2009

ARMM agri extension workers train on palay check

JONG CADION
Chief correspondent

COTABATO CITY—The agriculture and fisheries department of ARMM in collaboration with the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI-ARMM) and PhilRice has conducted a check retooling for agricultural extension workers (AEWs).

The activity was held at the Mamitua Saber Research and Training Center, Mindanao State University in Marawi City.

ATI-ARMM center manager Vadreya Solaiman said 23 AEWs from the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur including Marawi City were trained to enhance their knowledge on palay-check.

This knowledge will then will replicated by the AEWs to farmers in their areas.

The Palay Check System (PCS), if properly applied, will give farmers 10-15 percent yield increase in rice production, translated to cavans per hectare.

The PCS method includes soil analysis that determines input requirement level of the soil and the use of leaf color chart.

The workshop attended by the AEWs attempted to formulate and prepare plans that will be adapted to their respective areas, and seeks to improve farmers’ productive capacity.

Engineer Alberto Pajarito and Jose Nori Buhat from PhilRice, DAF-ARMM Regional Rice Coordinator Dadtungan Radzak and Rice Report Officer Edna Bajao were the resource speakers during the duration of the training.

DAF-ARMM Sec. Keise Usman is optimistic that the knowledged learned by the AEWs would be passed on to farmers and thus will achieve its goal in helping increase rice production to ensure food sufficiency and stability in the region.

Likewise, the activity is seen to fasttrack the department’s efforts in strengthening its agri-fishery programs.

This training is the education and extension component of the FIELDS Program of President Gloria Arroyo through DA Sec. Arthur Yap with the support of ARMM Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan. With reports from a.