E-learning program on seaweed pushed

The online course on “Seaweed Farming: A Profitable Livelihood for Coastal Communities” was crafted by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) under DA’s e-learning program.

It serves as an additional program to other existing offered courses on corn, banana, citrus, durian, goat and others.

“Seaweed farming is considered as the most productive form of livelihood in coastal communities, benefiting about half a million of the country’s population. The Philippines ranks as the third in the world market in seaweed export,” said BAR, which is currently headed by Director Nicomedes Eleazar.

The e-Learning module, which provides additional knowledge on improved seaweed farming of Eucheuma sp. Or Kappaphycus sp., is one of the components of the e-Extension services of the agriculture and fisheries (A/F) sectors.

The DA-Agricultural Training Institute has been designated as the lead agency for the provision of e-Extension services in collaboration with other agencies, bureaus and organizational units under DA.

e-Extension envisions to establish a network of institutions providing efficient e-Extension services for A/F to attain a modernized agriculture and fisheries where farmers and other stakeholders have enhanced productivity and profitability, and are competitive in the global market, said BAR, as reported by Ma. Eloisa Hernandez. – Rudy A. Fernandez