SAN QUINTIN, Pangasinan— The Farmers Field Day and Farmers Field School (FFS) Graduation Ceremony was conducted successfully on October 13, 2017 in Purok 6, Cabalaongan, San Quintin, Pangasinan. Twenty farmers from Barangay Cabalaongan graduated in the Technology Demonstration in Various Farming Systems cum Farmer’s Field School Season- Long Training (TD-FFS).

The Technology Demonstration Farmer’s Field School (TD-FFS) aims to put into trial and practice the various farming systems such as System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Soil Analysis System, Conventional Farmer’s Practice, and Rice Crop Manager (RCM).

The Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training Center I (ATI-RTC I) and Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) team up in large-scale dissemination of RCM. RCM is one of the components of e-farming under the ATI Extension Program.

According to 59-year old Cristeta Alap, one of the graduates, and a farmer for more than 18 years, the RCM helped her increase her yields while putting lesser input than before. She added that if RCM would not be followed, it would be useless.

A total of 20 farmers and five AEWs attended the season-long training (16 weeks hands-on training) that kicked-off last June 16. The participants were divided into four groups. Each group established its own trial plot. On June 23, the groups sowed NSIC RC-222 in their respective plots. Nine Agro-Ecosystem Analysis (AESA) activities were done two weeks after the date of transplanting, while the crop cutting activities were done on October 5.

The Municipal Agriculture Office of LGU-San Quintin spearheaded the said training and formed the TD-FFS supervising team composed of facilitators and trainers. With the support of the Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council and SRI Philippines, the event came into success.