The Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center I (ATI-RTC 1) through its Information Services Section (ISS) conducted Digital Farmers Program (DFP) 101 via Zoom Meeting at ATI-RTC 1, Tebag East, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan on August 25-26, 2021.

DFP 101 aims to encourage farmers to utilize smartphones, the internet, basic agriculture applications, and social media marketing in boosting their farming productivity. Furthermore, it informs farmers how to describe the use digital tools and technologies to help them in their daily lives & farming practices, identify the parts, function, and uses of the smartphone, access the internet and perform tasks and functions on using the internet.

The farmers’ partnership with the youth aims to make them assist the farmers to use digital tools and technologies, use digital tools and technologies in their rural and farming activities and create connections with farmer participants. Ten (10) farmers and ten (10) youth from Top Performing Rice-based Integrated Farming System (RBIFS) Farm in Region 1 participated in the said training.

“Para sa aming mga farmers ng rice, corn, mahalaga ang training na ito dahil natuto kami kung paano namin i-market ang aming mga produkto. Salamat sa mga nagturo sa amin para mas mapalawak pa an gaming kaalaman, thank you for educating us excellent trainers with excellent teaching abilities. Nag-enjoy ka na, natuto ka pa!” said Ms. Edjealyn Gonzalo, from Timpuyog ti Mannalon Ballay, Bauang, La Union.

DFP consists of a ladderized approach in helping farmers make better farming decisions, access more market opportunities, and increase their livelihood and income. The program contents are broken down into three levels namely DFP 101 (Beginner), DFP 102 (Intermediate), and DFP 103 (Advance).