BRGY. LOS ANGELES, Butuan City -- The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) team attended the virtual meeting on revisiting of calendar year 2021 targets. This is along with Center Director Samuel L. Calonzo of the Agricultural Training Institute- Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) 13. The said meeting was hosted by the ATI-Central Office via Google Meet last September 9, 2020.
The meeting aimed to revisit and update the CY 2021 work and financial plans. Dr. Rosana P. Mula, Deputy Director and RCEF-RESP Chairperson emphasized to always communicate with the Central Office whenever there are guidelines which are not clear to everybody. She also added to be more specific in the reports on how each RCTs strategized the implementation of their programs and activities considering that face-to-face interactions are restricted.
In the meeting, Dr. Mula presented updates on the over-all obligation and disbursement status of fiscal year 2020 and the cumulative status of unaccomplished targets of last year up to present of every RTCs including the Central Office.
Violeta T. Laguna, RCEF Point Person highlighted both ongoing and unaccomplished targets of ATI-Caraga for the CY 2020 which include two (2) batches of Training of Trainers (TOTs) that is set to start off in October, one (1) ongoing School-on-the-Air (SOA), one (1) Farmers' Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center enhancement, and two (2) ongoing establishment of Farm Schools (FS), three (3) for enhancement.
While everybody is challenged by this pandemic, Dr. Mula welcomed the sharing of approaches employed by other RTCs in conducting their information caravans. Instead of face-to-face interactions, others resort to radio broadcast in conducting the said activity. Moreover, she said that other RTCs may adopt this kind of approach. Luckily, ATI-RTC 13 already had conducted six (6) batches of information caravans last February before the strict community guidelines brought by the Coronavirus pandemic ensued.
For Farm Schools (FS) implementation, Joshua Ace J. Marcos highlighted that there are 407 existing FS nationwide and 129 FS are still needed to be established. Based on their projections in the region, there is still a need of nine (9) FS in Agusan del Sur and three (3) in Surigao del Sur.
Moreover, Laguna presented the physical targets for CY 2021 with its corresponding mechanics, schedules and budget. In 2021, ATI-RTC 13 is targeting another batch of TOT on the production of high quality inbred rice, seeds and farm mechanization, one (1) batch of training for potential seed growers, and one (1) batch of SOA.
As Dr. Mula stressed-out last midyear assessment to give an in depth mechanics in employing blended learning. She gave a quick presentation about blended learning concept and methodology. She set an example by using the strategy done by ATI-RTC 8 which incorporates self-directed learning where the participant will be given a bound copy of the TOT module month before the training, for him/her to be able to read in advance. Dr. Mula also encouraged everyone to enroll in e-learning courses, participate in webinars, online panel discussions, among others.
Rejane M. Ata and John Paul B. Abonitalla, RCEF staff participated in the meeting.