PUGO, La Union – The Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Network (RAFEN) 1 Symposium is a yearly activity of RAFEN in the Ilocos Region. It is an avenue that showcases the network’s different initiatives and other agriculture and fisheries extension (AFE) projects, programs and activities in the region.
Last August 28-29, RAFEN 1 concluded its 6th Symposium at the Kultura Splash Wave Resort, Pugo, La Union, participated by 250 AFE stakeholders from the region.
Highlight of the symposium is the competition of local government units (LGUs) in their best extension projects through paper/oral and poster presentations.
Top-caliber panelists from Agricultural Training Institute–Regional Training Center III, Central Luzon State University, and Tarlac Agricultural University were invited to judge the competition.
In the Paper/Oral Presentation of LGUs Best Extension Projects, LGU-Bacnotan, La Union captured the first place with their Integrated Coastal Management Project. LGU-Alaminos City, Pangasinan won the second place, and LGU-Laoag City, Ilocos Norte bagged the third place.
The LGUs of San Esteban, Sto. Domingo, Caoayan, and Quirino in Ilocos Sur; San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte; and Urdaneta City, Pangasinan also received Certificates of Appreciation for joining the said competition.
Meanwhile, LGU-Currimao, Ilocos Norte won 1st place among the 13 entries in the Poster Presentation Competition, followed by LGU-Bacnotan, La Union who owned the second place. LGU-Dumalneg, Ilocos Norte earned the third place.
“It is our first time to join in this competition of RAFEN 1 and it is really a big experience and opportunity to present our extension projects and we really learned a lot such as, how to deliver our presentation properly. I thank everyone (presenters) sa lahat ng iyong pinakita (projects) dahil palagi pong kakaiba,” Ms. Rosemarie Etrata, LGU-San Esteban, Ilocos Sur Municipal Agriculturist, said.
Some of the RAFEN 1 member agencies’ best extension projects were also shared during this two-day event. These were the “Organic Household Model Garden” or “OhMG Project” of the AGTALON, Inc., “Communities Understand and Respect (CURe) the Sea Project” of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, and the collaborative project of the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the Department of Social Welfare and Development entitled, “Capacity Enhancement of 4Ps Beneficiaries on Rice-Based Production Enterprises in Ilocos”.