885 farmers graduate in school-on-the-air program

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

BATAC CITY—Around 885 farmers from the different towns and cities of the province received their graduate certificate on December 19, 2016 at the Mariano Marcos State University’s Teatro Ilocandia following a three-month long school-on-the-air (SOA) program aired over the government-owned DWFB Radyo ng Bayan here.

Wearing green shirts and denim pants, graduates of the first province-wide radio school program stood tall as they took pride of their new knowledge, skills and experience acquired through listening and interactive communication with the radio host and invited technology experts and other resource speakers, sharing tips and various insights on garlic production and how to increase their income.

On September 14, 2016, at least 500 farmers were encouraged to enroll in the SOA and the number has almost doubled during the course of the program which runs from September to December.

Inspired by the Department of Agriculture through Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who had earlier expressed support to the implementation of nationwide SOA to empower farmers and have easy access to latest agriculture innovations, the new course on garlic production and climate change are among the highlights of the radio program hosted by a Development Communication specialist, Mercy Gaño of the MMSU-Extension Directorate.

With invited resource speakers on garlic farming technology, including finance and budgeting, farmer-listeners were guided all through out just in time for the planting season, of garlic and sharing some tips how to mitigate the effect of climate change. Listeners were also taught essential tools or techniques on how to prepare a management plan and improve their farm budgeting skills.

With the success of the SOA program, facilitators said more courses will be introduced soon to educate more farmers on the latest farming breakthroughs and technologies needed for sustainable growth.

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