SAN JUAN, Batangas- Agricultural chemicals or agrichemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and such can be dangerous if it not properly handled. Extreme caution should be practiced in handling any chemicals. Direct exposure from the chemicals can severely cause health effects such as headache, poisoning, burns, birth defects, nervous system disorders and some cancers.
To address this, product stewardship should be practiced in the farm. Product stewardship is the responsible and ethical management of a pesticide from its discovery through its ultimate use and beyond. It aims to minimize the health, safety, environmental, and social impacts of a product and its packaging throughout the plan, while also maximizing economic benefits.
The public and private sector through the efforts of the Department of Agriculture and the Deutche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with other government partners developed a project, entitled “Better Rice Initiative Asia – Fostering Agriculture and Rice Marketing by improved Education and Rural Advisory Services (BRIA-FARMERS), which aligns with the Food and Staples Sufficiency Program (FFSP) of the Department of Agriculture.
One of the extension approaches that emerged from the BRIA-FARMERS project is the Product Stewardship module. It is designed to introduce the safe and responsible use of crop protection products.
Thus, the Agricultural Training Institute Region IV-A through the Partnerships and Accreditation Service Section (PASS) conducted a Refresher Course on Rice Technology Updates and Product Stewardship Training for Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs).
A total of 24 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) attended the said training. It aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of rice AEWs and provide updates on rice technology and safe and responsible use of crop protection products.
During the training course, the participants were able to gain knowledge on proper handling of crop protection materials and products, discussed by Mr. David Cristobal from Bayer. The course also included updates on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and the Philippines and regional rice industry, the Department of Agriculture Road Map 2017-2022, ASEAN Economic Integration, Rice Pests and Diseases, ACPC 2018 Plans and Programs, ATI extension modalities, and latest ICT-Based tools on rice production.
The five-day training was held at Don Leon Nature Farms, San Juan, Batangas last August 6-10, 2018.