DILIMAN, Quezon City—Efforts to develop policies on agricultural and fisheries extension (AFE) are now being re-shaped to ensure the continued growth of farming and fishing communities even in the new normal.

The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), through its Policy and Planning Division (PPD), has drawn up priorities in terms of enhancing AFE-related policies and standards to continue to address the needs of farmers, fishers, and agricultural extension workers (AEWs) in the country.

Among these are the review of the proposed Extension Bill and Magna Carta for AEWs, strengthening of the AFE Network, and operationalization of the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System.

ATI initiatives related to the “Plant, Plant, Plant” Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be continuously monitored, while policies for the working operations in the new normal will also be determined.

These initiatives, to be led by the PPD, will be done in the second semester of the year, following new normal protocols. Other efforts and strategies were proposed during the Division’s mid-year assessment and planning workshop.

The PPD will also lead the development of corporate guidelines for budget execution and planning for 2021 and 2022, and come up with initial proposals for evaluation studies of the Institute’s programs and projects. The dissemination of the 2019 results-based monitoring and evaluation report, the Enhanced AFE Strategic Plan for 2017-2022, and the AFE Performance Standards are also lined up in the coming months.

Likewise, during the activity, the Division’s programs, projects, and activities for 2021 were adjusted based on the new priorities. The staff’s Individual Performance Commitment and Reviews for the first half of the year were also completed based on quality, efficiency, and timeliness standards.

Meanwhile, representatives from the ATI-Partnerships and Accreditation Division presented the road maps of the different banner programs in agriculture. ATI Assistant Director Rosana Mula gave her inputs on these documents for the smooth implementation of the identified thrusts.

PPD chief Milagos Urbano led the assessment and planning activities during the workshop held last July 7-9, 2020 at the ATI-Rural Development Education Center. She stressed that all initiatives that they identified are based on the DA’s policy directions and the ATI’s Learn, Exhibit, Advise, Disseminate, and Support (LEADS) framework. (with reports from Renelle Joy Tabinas and Michelle Montiel)