“We are not prepared for disasters and our region is always affected by typhoon and El Niño. I know that this training will give you technologies that are beneficial to you during calamity”.

This was according to Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) MiMaRoPa Center Director Pat Andrew B. Barrientos as he gave his opening remarks during KlimAgrikultura: A Skills Training on the Use of Climate Information in Farming Decision Making held on March 9-12, 2020 at Vencio’s Garden Hotel and Restaurant, Brgy. Tawiran, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. ⁣

The training aims to pilot test the tools devised by the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) and Charles Sturt University (CSU) for the project entitled “Action Ready Climate Knowledge to Improve Disaster Risk Management for Smallholder Farmers in the Philippines.”⁣

The three-day training mainly comprised of lectures and workshops on Crop Climate Calendar and Climate Hazards, PAGASA Products and Risk Matching, Verbal Decision Analysis and Rapid Climate Decision Analysis. ⁣

After the last pilot testing, the ATI in partnership with the University of the Philippines- Los Baños (UPLB), Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), and the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) will develop a manual to help and guide corn and rice farmers in farming decision making. ⁣

Also present in the activity were DOST-PAGASA Chief Dr. Edna A. Juanillo and UP-LB Professor Dr. Juan M. Pulhin.

A total of 37 participants composed of agricultural extension workers and local farmer technicians from different municipalities in the province attended the training.