In preparation for the wet season when pests and diseases are usually
prevalent, local farmer technicians (LFTs) from Pangasinan completed a
week-long specialized course at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station, June
4-8, 2018.
Ev P. Angeles, training coordinator of PhilRice’s Technology Management and
Services Division, said they trained LFTs to help their fellow farmers in
identifying, assessing, and managing major pests and diseases in rice.
She said LFTs are model farmers in farming communities who the Department
of Agriculture tapped to complement local agricultural extension workers in
providing technical assistance to farmers.
“We chose participants from major rice-producing areas of the province who
need to strengthen their pest and disease diagnostic skills or those who have
not undergone other intensive field diagnostic and pest management skills
training. Through practical, hands-on exercises, we hoped to enhance their
competence in this critical aspect of rice crop management,” she said.
The 30 training participants enhanced their skills on pest identification,
disease diagnosis, and damage assessment. They learned the principles of
Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Agroecosystems Analysis (AESA), and the
PalayCheck System to help them in making more informed decisions in pest and
disease management.
LFTs
Carolina Badaguas of Sual, Pangasinan, said that she learned proper weed
management from the training.
“Weeds are rampant in our area and my fellow farmers often resort to
spraying generous amount of herbicide. We learned that practicing thorough land
preparation is important in managing weeds as it helps facilitate good
management of water, nutrients, and pests,” the 54-year-old LFT said.
PhilRice experts on weed management said through this practice, they bury weeds
under the soil to separate the shoots from the roots.
Meanwhile, Solomon C. Ibay, 56, of Asingan, Pangasinan had understood the
importance of getting accurate diagnosis of rice diseases.
“When we know how to identify the kind of disease that infects our field,
it is easier for us to make the right decisions in implementing the needed
management practices. We also learned about harmful and friendly organisms,” he
said.
He added that the training program provided the avenue for the LFTs to get
additional, accurate, and science-based information from the experts.
PhilRice will conduct monitoring and evaluation activity to assess the
impact of the training program.
Pangasinan placed third in the top rice-producing provinces in the
Philippines in 2017 according to Philippine Statistics Authority. (PhilRice)
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