With the general aim to capacitate AEWs from LGUs on RCM Advisory Services and ultimately provide printed recommendations to farmers on their rice production the Agricultural Training Institute- Regional Training Center 1 conducted Training on Rice Crop Manager-Advisory Service (RCM-AS) on September 20-24, 2021 via Zoom.
A total of 31 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEW's) and Local Farmer Technician (LFT) from the different municipalities of Region 1 completed the Training on Rice Crop Manager-Advisory Service (RCM-AS).
During, participants had lecture discussion and demonstration activities on the use of online and offline version of RCM 4.0. This new version of RCM features upgraded advisory services. On the following day of the training, they learned how to troubleshoot and gained useful tips of the program application. In addition, they learned about the special features of the Payong Palay application-a mobile app that displays weather forecast and essential advisories for farmers and fishers. Meanwhile, Ms. Lea Coloma from DA-RFO 1 facilitated the sharing of learnings and insights of the participants about RCM version 4.0. It was noted from them that this RCM version is helpful and accurate in generating detailed recommendations.
"I have learned a lot from the training especially so with the updates /new version of RCM which is the version 4.0. Imagine before, you will just interview the farmer and then provide recommendation, now you can even upload farmers photo and consent with signature and the most amazing part is you can now provide /print RCM ID. Another is the Payong Pagasa app, it’s my first time to learn that there’s such an app like that now. I am very amazed that we can now have a daily, 10-day or even monthly monitoring of our weather within our area. Considering the effect of climate change that the weather is very unpredictable/unusual compare before an app like Payong Pagasa would be of great help to our farmers. With it, the farmers can calendar/schedule the right timing for fertilizer application, irrigation and other farming activities. Lastly, I have learned that by just merely turning off the lights if not in use you are already taking part in the mitigation of climate change. With that, thank you ma’ams for the learnings!" expressed by Ms. Juliet M. Sario of LGU-Sison, Pangasinan.
The adaption to digitalization is a continuous cycle, thus the agriculture sector should not stop in innovating strategies to support the agricultural programs of the country.