TABUK CITY, Kalinga – A total of 95 individuals completed the 17-day training on Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Farmer Field School (RCEF-FFS) Production of High Quality Inbred Rice Seeds Certification and Farm Mechanization conducted at Bacayan’s Rice Based Integrated Farm in Sitio Tannubong, Barangay Ipil.
The graduates, who are rice farmers from Sitio Tannubong and sitios Soto and Bunao, Barangay Agbannawag, are registered under Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) were trained on machineries operation as well as management of crop, pest, water and nutrient.
The RCEF-FFS is a joint undertaking between the Kalinga office of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Cordillera office of the Agricultural Training Institute, the provincial government, and the city government under the RCEF Extension Component. The training also focused on seed selection and post-harvest management to upgrade the skills of participants on modern farming.
Accredited trainers were Christina Dumayag, Micah Joy Balbuena and Marinelle Bajas from the Bacayan’s Rice Based Integrated Farm. The graduates received their certificate of completion during their graduation ceremony held today.
In a message by Engr. Victor Brioso, Provincial Director of the TESDA, he said that the free training is a gift of the national government to interested rice farmers to help them improve their farming practices for higher produce. He also encouraged the trainees to share their experiences to their fellow farmers and continuously adopt to modern and scientific farming processes.
Apart from the free training, Brioso also said that the participants received allowances from TESDA.
In his message, Enrique Baliang, representative of Mayor Darwin Estrañero assured the full support of the city government for farmers since the city is an agricultural area.
According to the Office for City Agricultural Services, there will be another training to be provided this year for interested rice farmers.