TANGUB, Misamis Occidental—To ensure that appropriate measures are in place to aid agricultural communities that are highly vulnerable to risks of climate change, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) is set to fully mainstream climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies in its banner programs next year.

This is in support to the implementation of the Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) project of the Institute, through its Regional Training Centers (RTCs) nationwide. In 2017, communities in different municipalities were supported and capacitated to understand and respond to risks and opportunities presented by climatic changes and extreme weather events.

Technical skills training, livelihood training, values re-orientation, leadership skills development, and technical advisory services were some of the interventions implemented through the project. These include Climate-smart Farm Business Schools, Enhanced Farmers’ Field Schools, and training on sustainable farm production and processing technologies.

Livelihood kits were also provided to support the beneficiaries’ chosen CRA projects. Information, education, and communication strategies were also used to strengthen the implementation of this undertaking.

Through these efforts, ATI hopes to increase the income of the beneficiaries and empower them to adopt climate-resilient technologies.

During the 2019 Assessment and 2021 Planning Workshop spearheaded by the Partnerships and Accreditation Division, CRA coordinators from the RTCs discussed issues and concerns in the implementation of the project in their respective regions.

Manuel Dimalaluan, who serves as the national coordinator of the project, stressed the need to mainstream climate change adaptation measures in ATI’s banner programs. He also reminded the regional coordinators of their commitment during the “National Review of the ATI Climate Resilient Agriculture Project and Initial Writeshop: Repositioning ATI Climate Change Initiatives” held last August.

As part of the workshop, the coordinators also discussed the accomplishments of the project and crafted plans of activities for 2021. Staff from the ATI Information Services were also present during the activity for a writeshop on CRA stories and best practices which will be published in a compendium next year.

ATI’s Information Services Division chief Antonieta Arceo was present to provide inputs on the stories and project briefers from the participants through one-on-one mentoring sessions.

“There are many ways in which you can tell the stories of the beneficiaries. The important thing is that we are able to document the experiences of these communities, as well as our own, so that we can learn from them,” Arceo told the participants.

Around 30 ATI staff attended the workshop last November 4-8, 2019 at the Hoyohoy Highland Stone Chapel Adventure Park in this city.