BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Norte – Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from Agusan del Sur gained knowledge and skill on rice and other crops through the Training Course on Capacitating Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) with Agricultural Crops Production with National Competency (NC) III.

As a backgrounder, changing agriculture require public and private interventions that are resilient and adaptable to new opportunities and faces the reality to bring food to the ordinary people. With this, agriculture extension should bring the desirable change and tangible results into food production for improved national economy as a whole. Thus, agricultural extension should be an applied behavioral science to bring about desirable changes in the behavioral complex of farming communities through various strategies and programs of change by applying latest scientific and technology innovations.

Further, ATI is mandated to conduct quality extension and relevant human resource development program to enhance and develop the capacity and capability of our AEWs. This training course aimed to capacitate them through series of lectures, actual demonstration and conduct assessment review in agricultural crops production. The 30 AEWs who participated in the training have all passed the national qualification for agricultural crops production (NC III) held at the Caraga State University (CSU).

“As a whole the training was indeed a successful one, though we had difficulties during the identification test like proper sequence in wearing PPE’s but still it was an opportunity to refresh our knowledge. We studied hard like students for the NC III and as a result we received the honor as an NC III holder. Today, is just the beginning to extend our learnings to our farmers,” expressed May Amor Genon of the Office of the City Agriculturist in Butuan City during the closing program.

The training was held at the training complex of ATI-Caraga in Brgy. Los Angeles, Butuan City from October 1-5, 2018.