TABUK CITY, Kalinga – At least 27 individuals composed of seed growers and seed inspectors have recently completed the four-month season-long training on hybrid seed production.
During the graduation ceremony held today at Bacayan’s Rice Based Integrated Farm, a training school accredited by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) located in Sitio Tannubong, Barangay Ipil, Edwin Joseph Franco, Regional Hybrid Seed Coordinator of the Department of Agriculture (DA)- CAR said the training aims to promote government policy on the localization of hybrid seed production in partnership with private companies.
“The four-month hands-on practicum of selected individuals amongst are employees of the OFCAS and the Provincial Agricultural Services Office, will significantly increase the number of seed growers in the country to achieve self-sufficiency level on hybrid rice production in 2025,” he said.
The training given to the graduates were attended once weekly and was a ‘seed-to- seed’ which means the trainees were trained from land preparation, to planting, to sowing until harvesting.
The 27 graduates received certificates of recognition, and one of the graduates was agriculturist Emma Concepcion Fermin of the Office for the City Agricultural Services (OFCAS) who openly expressed her gratitude for the training she attended saying it would add to her competencies to become a better seed inspector.
Apart from Bacayan’s Rice Based Integrated Farm, the other training site is located in Barangay San Juan. Trainees also had a five-day training at TAMPCO Inn before the actual hands-on training. By Darwin S. Serion
