APPLY WHAT WE LEARN – This was the message of Baliangao, Misamis Occidental Vice Mayor Haneya Theresa Yap – Chiong during the Training on Organic Free-Range Chicken Production which was attended by 21 participants. The 3-day training was in support to the SAAD Program of the Department of Agriculture.
EL SALVADOR CITY, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – No pandemic can stop the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) as it continues to deliver its frontline service in providing trainings to stakeholders, such as agricultural extension workers (AEWs) and farmers, among others. This time, a 3-day training on Free Range Chicken Production, under the Organic Agriculture Program, was conducted in Baliangao, Misamis Occidental from July 28 – 30, 2020.
The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Baliangao has seen the market potential of free-range chicken allocating some assistance to farmers who have already ventured to this business. Indeed, there is a growing need and market of chemical-free products, which include organically grown or free-range chicken. The increased awareness of the health benefits these products greatly attributed to the expansion in its market opportunity.
The training on this commodity will greatly help the farmers in the locality. The training aims to help improve their production as participants will be equipped with the knowledge on improved basic practices of Chicken Raising from breed selection to farm management. Furthermore, pursuant to the Memorandum from the Office of the Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar dated 31 March 2020, and reiterated on 14 April 2020, participants will be provided with after training extension support.
Spearheaded by Mr. Javier P. Andalan, the Organic Agriculture Focal Person for ATI Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X), in coordination with Baliangao Municipal Agriculturist Dioscora Catalan, the training was attended by twenty-one (21) participants, majority of which are beneficiaries of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA). Other participants were the Learning Site (LS) applicants from other neighboring municipalities of Baliangao.
In her message during the Opening Program of the training, Vice Mayor Haneya Theresa Yap – Chiong emphasized the importance of the application of the knowledge and skills learned from the training. “Pwede ba nga iapply nato ang matun-an sa inadlaw adlaw nga kinabuhi sa backyard nato, sa atong kumunidad, ug ato gayud nga icareer,” she expressed.
Although this training is one of the few trainings retained to be a face-to-face session, the ATI-RTC X assures the public that proper protocols laid down by the COVID19 Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) were followed, like social distancing, wearing of face mask and other protective equipment, if necessary, regular handwashing, and regular temperature check of the participants, among others. (with reports from JAVIER P. ANDALAN)