LOS BAÑOS, Laguna- The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) Region IV-A in partnership with Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office Region IV-A, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) formally concluded a 5-month training of Regional Roll-Out of Enabling AgriDOC: A New Breed of Agricultural Development Officers of the Community in CALABAZON Region last October 11, 2017 at Splash Mountain Resort, Los Baños, Laguna.
Twenty-two (22) new breed of Agricultural Development Officers of the Community dubbed as AgriDOC were trained in season-long experiential course with transformational leadership that primes them as a catalyst of farm community transformation.
AgriDOC is a project under Improving Technology Promotion and Delivery through Capability Enhancement of Next-Gen Rice Extension Professionals and Other Intermediaries (IPaD) led by DA-IRRI Rice R&D Collaboration for Food Staple Sufficiency that aim to develop a new breed of rice extentionist.
Ms. Mary Grace P. Leidia, Project Officer, explained that AgriDOCs have a mission to help transform farming communities toward competitiveness, sustainability, and resiliency using practical, science-based technologies and locally appropriate, and market-oriented strategies.
To attain the objectives, the participants were trained into six capacity-building modules, respectively: Module 1: Be Transformed which aim to heightens understanding of appreciation for development extension work using the transformation leadership framework; Module 2: AgRiCool helps the participants ignites their passion for and cultivates knowledge of agriculture, in general, and rice science; Module 3: AgRiSurvivors were the AgriDOCs immersed themselves in farm family in Kalayaan, Laguna in order for them to understand and appreciate the various types of farmers and extension intermediaries, and develop coping mechanism to survice in the rice environment/industry; Module 4: PalaYcheck and PalaYamanan v2.0 helps the particpants to understand the “WHYs” or the principles of diversification, and intergration in a rice-based farming system; Module 5: Rise with Rice promotes learning of enterprreneurship and other critical knowledge, skills, and competencies to catalyze development work; and Module 6:Be RICEponsible focused on values and development of project proposal for a rice-based farming community in their respective areas.
Regional Roll-out of Enabling AgriDOCs training duration started from May 30, 2017 until October 10, 2017. It was spearheaded by Partnership and Accreditation Section (PAS) of ATI IV-A. Ms. Mary Grace P. Leidia, Agriculturist II, act as Project Officer together with Ms. Sherylou C. Alfaro, Ms. Soledad Leal, Ms. Angela S. Amoloza, and Mr. Ric Jason T. Arreza served as Training Management Staff. The training program aims to improve promotion and delivery of extension services by enhancing the capability of the next generation of rice extension professionals.