STA. BARBARA, PANGASINAN – Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 1 successfully conducted AGRITALK 2022 entitled “Pow! kay FAW: A Webinar Series on Fall Army Worm Management on Corn” to improve the knowledge and awareness of the participants in managing fall armyworm on March 1-3, 2022 through Zoom Meeting and Facebook Livestream.
Over 200 agricultural extension professionals, farmers, students, and others participated in AGRITALK 2022, demonstrating that the new normal can bridge the gap in knowledge dissemination. They were able to learn the best pest management method for reducing and preventing FAW damage from reaching outbreak levels amidst FAW infestations which are now common in the country.
On the first day, Mr. John Leo Bungubung shared the status of Corn Industry and the history of FAW incidence in Region 1. Through this, the participants were able to identify that Fall Army Worm (FAW) is a pest that threatens food security and the livelihood of smallholder farmers. The second day of AGRITALK 2022 was all about the Prevention, Avoidance, Monitoring, Scouting and Suppression (PAMMS) which were discussed by Mr. Danilo Bajit. The participants learned spotting FAW and distinguishing it from other pests, as well as how to manage the field and use control and prevention strategies. Meanwhile, Dr. Debbie Davalos discussed the on-going FAW research in Region 1 for the third day. All of them are subject matter specialists on corn program from the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 1 (DA-RFO 1).
The activity was in partnership with the Manila Bulletin, Smart Communications, Inc and Agriculture Magazine. Media partners also aired the program simultaneously in their respective social media pages for wider reach.
One of the strategies being implemented by the government is to establish support programs to sustain capacity building and awareness in managing FAW. The use of social media in this time of pandemic is relevant since attending face to face training is very risky at the moment due to health constraints.
AGRITALK continues to provide a platform for individuals and groups of agriculture practitioners to share their agribusiness successes and mistakes. It also aims to motivate other farmers, professionals, students, and hobbyists to pursue careers in agriculture.