The Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Network (RAFEN) 1 conducted the first semestral meeting for calendar year 2022 on May 18-19, 2022 at ATI-CAR, La Trinidad, Benguet to discuss its role to the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES) and its plan in the current year.

The meeting was attended by 40 focal persons and representatives from different member agencies of the Network which include bureaus and attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture, State Universities and Colleges, National Government Agencies, Provincial Local Government Units, and Private Sectors.

Ms. Abegel Joson, Chief of the Career Development and Management Services Section of ATI-RTC 1, explained that the Network has the following functions for PAFES:
1. Assist in bringing all partners together and mapping out over all strategies and priorities;
2. Deploy dedicated core of subject matter specialists from its member agencies to the PAFES; and
3. Collaborate in prioritizing the implementation of extension interventions identified by the PAFES.
The discussion was an avenue of sharing of experiences and insights of member agencies in supporting and contributing to PAFES in their provinces. These insights focused more on the importance of consistent monitoring and evaluation of projects and the role of beneficiaries to sustain them.

Meanwhile, status of implementation of PAFES in each province in the region was presented by Ms. Doris Joy Garcia, Chief of the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division of DA-RFO 1. It was mentioned that the province of Ilocos Norte has already established Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Extension Center (PAFEC) Office and now at the implementation of activities under the Collaborative Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Program or the so called “CPAFEP” while the province of Pangasinan is finalizing their CPAFEP. On the other hand, the province of La Union and Ilocos Sur recently institutionalized PAFES and scheduled to plan their respective CPAFEP on June 23 and 24, 2022.

The activities of the Network for this year were also presented and one of these was the harmonization of 2023 extension programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) of the Network’s member agencies. The purpose of this activity is to support the establishment of PAFES and to strategize the implementation of extension plans in each province.

Activities of the Network also include the 8th RAFEN 1 Symposium which is set to be conducted in October. This year’s symposium hopes to showcase again best extension projects. Pre-identified events that will highlight the activity are farm tourist summit, agri-fishery products exhibit, and testimonies of beneficiaries of best extension projects.

The meeting was presided by the ATI-RTC 1 Assistant Center Director and RAFEN 1 Focal Person, Dr. Josephine K. Aben on behalf of the RAFEN 1 Chairman, Dr. Rogelio C. Evangelista.

ATI-RTC 1 Assistant Center Director, Dr. Josephine K. Aben (the one holding the microphone), presided the meeting and facilitated the discussion of each agendum.