In response to the urgent need of scaling cutting-edge technologies while aiming for Philippine agriculture modernization and competitiveness, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in MiMaRoPa launches the School-on-the-Air on Smart Rice Agriculture (SOA-SRA) on March 1, 2022, via radio broadcast over 98.1 ARFM.
The SOA-SRA dubbed as “Palay Aralan: Makabagong Pagsasaka sa Himpapawid” specifically aims to help catalyze agriculture modernization through massive and sustained education of smallholder farmers and local intermediaries on modern and innovative technologies and approaches to smart rice production. Also, it helps to maximize rice productivity in medium and low yield provinces through radio, amplifying the limited reach of agricultural extension workers.
During the launching program, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) William D. Dar, ATI National Director Rosana P. Mula, and DA MiMaRoPa Regional Executive Director Antonio G. Gerundio graced the activity through a recorded message.
In partnerships with the DA MiMaRoPa Region, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Mindoro State University, Philippine Information Agency, Provincial Agriculture Office, City Agriculture Office, Local Government Units (LGU) of Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, and Pola, the program was able to produce 2,562 enrollees.
The SOA-SRA program is being aired over AR FM 98.1 every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11:00 AM - 12:00 NN. It has also a simulcast airing over 105.3 FM Radyo Natin Pinamalayan, 96.9 Radyo Natin Calapan, and 102.9 Radyo Natin Victoria every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:00 NN - 1:00 PM. With a total of 23 airings, the program will run from March 1 to April 22, 2022.
To monitor the listenership of the enrollees, the SOA-SRA employs Short Messaging System (SOA Text Promo). At the end of each airing, one question will be asked to the students and they will answer the question through text and send it to the cellphone numbers given by the anchor of the program. Only the first student who can give the correct answer will win a Php60.00 load.
Moreover, the program will also administer short quizzes, long exams, and final exams to determine the level of knowledge gained among the SOA-SRA students. Based on the total score or percentage of the said exams, the top ten students will be selected in each municipality and will be given medals and awards during the culmination activity.
For this month, the ATI in MiMaRoPa has already aired a total of 14 SOA-SRA recorded airings.