The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) harnesses the power of the internet and the radio to provide alternative learning opportunities to the public as the community quarantine continues by launching skills development activities online and on air.
With the boom in information and communications technology (ICT) services in today’s “new normal,” the ATI maximizes the use of digital and online tools to cater to the needs of the clientele and, at the same time, support the ongoing programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on food security.
As Filipinos look to staying connected and informed while at home, the ATI hopes to widen their options for learning with more online and media-based resources and platforms. In response to the restrictions in the conduct of face-to-face training, ATI training centers nationwide have modified the delivery of learning and development activities by using the worldwide web and broadcast media.
Agri seminars 2.0
On April 21, ATI Central Luzon launched “AHON sa Nayon” or “Advancing Households' Opportunities to Nutritious Food Production sa Nayon: #GoVeg20 Webinar Series” to continue providing relevant and timely information to stakeholders in the region. The pilot airing featured Carlo Sumaoang of Ragsak Family Farm who discussed the concept of food production at home.
Other topics and speakers were “Opportunity not Insanity: Rags to Riches, Soil to Table” by Daisy Duran of Duran Farms; “Vibrant Concepts of Food Systems Approaches” by Emmanuel Bundoc of Felisidro Farm; and “Household-Ready Ingredients to Boost Homeyard Gardening” by Dr. Norman De Jesus of Pampanga State Agricultural University. On May 6, Emma Tolentino of Eco Natural Integrated Farm will serve as resource person on “Generate Food, Generate Products, Generate Income!”.
The ATI Regional Training Center (RTC) in CALABARZON also initiated the webinar “Agricultural Technologies thru Internet at Home” or “ATI@Home” in support to the DA’s initiatives on urban agriculture. The first live seminar rolled out on April 8 with container gardening as the topic, discussed by Brian Amante Belen of ABF Integrated Farms and Agribusiness Center Inc.
On April 17, Belen talked about “Home Composting and Plant Food Supplements” with demonstrations on composting and fermentation using materials available at home. An open forum was also held to answer questions from the registered online viewers.
Reden Mark Costales of Costales Nature Farms served as the next speaker for “Homemade Insect Spray and some Pest Management Techniques” last April 27. He also gave a demonstration on different organic concoctions that can be used to grow plants.
The webinar is hosted via a closed Facebook group and interested individuals would need to fill out an online registration form before they can join. At present, the group has enlisted more than 850 members. Future topics are on hydroponics and mushroom culture.
Meanwhile, ATI Bicol has set up a Facebook webinar channel called “ATI Bicol #Sarabay” to provide online tutorials on the production of crops and broadcasts about programs and services towards food security. Some topics discussed were on container gardening, hydroponics, and aquaponics. As of April 25, the channel has generated as high as 8,000 views.
ATI Central Visayas has, likewise, created a Facebook group to host their first webinar on May 4 titled “Food Always in the Home” or FAITH Gardening Technology. On April 24, ATI Northern Mindanao also launched a webinar series on their official Facebook page, dubbed as “AgriStoryahay sa ATI Webinar Series on Urban Gardening”, for interested locals.
The first of the “AgriStoryahay” series featured Junah Bayag who owns Jaya’s Secret Garden, an ATI-certified Learning Site for Agriculture in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. He shared tips on planting and transplanting and other basics of urban gardening. Other topics include the preparation and application of biofertilizers and biopesticides and composting.
In Soccsksargen, ATIng Free Online Seminar was launched on Facebook on April 27. Topics featured so far are on container gardening and healthy and budget-friendly recipes. Aside from this, the ATI RTC started “ATIng Talakayan Online!” to answer questions on farming from their social media followers.
The ATI-International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ITCPH), on the other hand, will also offer blended courses until December 2020. For this month, training activities will focus on Basic Course on Pig Husbandry (May 11-15); Course on Swine Artificial Insemination (May 18-20); and National Trainor's Course on Swine Artificial Insemination (May 25-27). Interested individuals may now register via https://bit.ly/3aTW8Jx.
Online promotions
With massive social media usage this quarantine period, the ATI network has kicked its promotional activities in full gear. Apart from the webinars, the training centers have launched information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns through their respective social media platforms by publishing technology guides and prompts on urban agriculture and other activities.
ATI Eastern Visayas has developed “ATIng Mugna” which is a series of quality ‘how-to’ videos for the public. The name is a coined term from the words ‘ATIng’ or “ours” in Tagalog and ‘Mugna’ which means “to create, or develop” in Bisaya. The first few videos are on making organic concoctions with Magsasaka Siyentista Loreto Godoy, starting with Lactic Acid Bacterial Serum and indigenous microorganism.
ATI Soccsksargen also continues its AgriGabay and AgriHain series for farming tips and Pinoy vegetable recipes, respectively. Photo-sharing contests and other interactive games were also launched to attract some of the younger audiences in the different regions.
Radio-based learning
Meanwhile, to cater to audiences who have no access to the internet, the ATI network is expected to launch school-on-the-air programs on agriculture and fisheries. Radio-based training courses from ATI and partner radio stations will start airing in 15 regions this July. The ATI-ITCPH will also launch "PIG-aralan Serye" every Friday, starting May 15 to December 4, over the local radio station DWAL 95.9 Radyo Totoo sa Batangas to help local pig farmers increase productivity while on community quarantine.
The ATI network also continues its radio promotions for urban agriculture and other advocacies in the DA’s “Plant, Plant, Plant” Program. On April 18, ATI Bicol launched the “ATIng Kaugnay Special Broadcast sa Panahon ng Enhanced Community Quarantine,” a 10-day airing of blended courses over DWOS-FM and also streamed live on Facebook. Topics include edible landscaping, pest management, vermicomposting, preparation of concoctions, food processing, and even programs and services of the DA and Department of Trade & Industry Services.
ATI Western Visayas also hosted a radio program on urban agriculture over DYRU, Kalibo, Aklan from April 14-30.
Other activities being conducted by the ATI network are the distribution of urban agriculture starter kits, comprised of seeds and IEC materials, and the administration and promotion of free e-Learning courses through www.e-extension.gov.ph/elearning.
For more details on the online seminars and to see latest updates from the regions, follow the ATI’s Facebook page (@atiinteractive) or text the Farmers’ Contact Center at 0920-9462464.