BATANGAS CITY, BATANGAS - Being the second most important crop in the country, corn is one of the major agricultural crops and highly valued as food, animal feed and raw material industry. The increasing demand for maize has significant implications to regional food security and sustainability of agriculture in marginal rainfed environment among the resource-poor farmers.

In recent years, the Agricultural Training Institute Region IV-A had conducted School-on-the-Air specifically in corn production. For 2019, to address the need for information on different technologies related to corn such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), soil analysis and sampling, and aflatoxin, ATI Region IV-A in partnership with Office of the Provincial Agriculturist - Batangas launched the School-on-the-Air (SOA) dubbed as “Ala Eh! Maiskwelahan: Isang Radyo Eskwela sa Batangas.”

A total of 200 corn farmers and Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from the 19 participating Local Government Units (LGUs) of Batangas attended the program launching. Ms. Janine L. Cailo, Project Officer, discussed the overview of the program and the topics for the 14-week program.

Present during the launching were Dr. Macario B. Hornilla, Head of Office of the City Veterinarian and Agricultural Service (OCVAS); Engr. Pablito A. Balantac, Provincial Agriculturist of Batangas; Dr. Romel Briones, Director for Research/Head for Academic Affairs-Lobo Campus; and Dr. Rolando V. Maningas, Chief of Information Services of ATI Region IV-A.

Ala Eh! Maiskwelahan: Isang Radyo Eskwela sa Batangas will air on May 4 until August 3, 2019 at 1:00 pm-2:00 pm at DWAL FM Batangas 95.9 Radyo Totoo.

The program was held at OCVAS, Brgy. Bolbok, Batangas last April 1, 2019.