Government adopts new strategy to improve farmers’ skills, attitudes

Malacañang has issued Executive Order (EO) 710 adopting the corn-based farmer-scientists research, development and extension (RDE) training program (FSTP) as a national program.

The FSTP is an agricultural RDE strategy that aims to change and improve the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of farmers in a corn-based production system to adopt the scientific methods of farming.

Prior to the implementation of the EO, the FSTP has been a successful program benefitting more than 8,000 farmers who are now producing four to six tons per hectare of corn and other crops by applying newly developed technologies.

The strategy was piloted in Argao, Cebu in 1994 under the project title, “Development and Establishment of an Integrated Corn-based Farming System for a Sustainable Agricultural Progra, in Northern Argao, Cebu: The Farmer-Scientists Training Program” with funding support from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR).  Dr. Romulo G. Davide of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) led the project which expanded to the provinces of Cebu, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Occidental Mindoro, and Compostela Valley Province.

According to Dr. Davide, the project has succeeded beyond expectations, demonstrating how small marginalized farmers can be empowered with enough scientific knowledge in farming to produce more than their subsistence level.

With the issuance of EO 710, Davide is optimistic that more poor farmers will benefit from adopting FSTP as a national program enabling them to uplift their standards of living.

As stated in the EO, FSTP will be jointly implemented by the DA, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Interior and Local Government, UPLB, and other concerned agencies.

The DA takes the lead in the implementation of FSTP.

The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) will institutionalize FSTP as one of its extension approaches to ensure its successful implementation down to its intended beneficiaries, and BAR to facilitate the transfer of farming technologies developed by R&D agencies to the FSTP beneficiaries. 

To support the FSTP as a national program, the DA-BAR is currently funding a two-year project, “Farmers-Scientists Training Program: A Community Research and Development on Technology Transfer and Adoption in Corn-Based Production System” which is being implemented in the two municipalities of Region 8 (Samar and Leyte).

The project, which is in line with Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap’s renewed programs on making business from agriculture, is being implemented by UPLB in collaboration with the local government unit.

The adoption of FSTP as a national program is part of the government’s development plan to enhance the economy’s global competitiveness and alleviate hunger and poverty.

This is consistent with the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan.

In particular, developing at least two million hectares of new agribusiness lands.