by strengthening the LFTP. According to DA-13 regional technical director Edgardo D. Dahino, LFTs are very effective partners in carrying out extension services because of their first-hand experiences in rice production. Aside from that, LFTs were also trained on the principles and concepts of rice science enabling them to become rice farming technicians. “Caraga region has now 98 LFTs who were trained and now acted as partners and active players in the development and promotion of modern rice production technologies in low yielding rice-growing areas in the region,” Dahino said. Aside from strengthening
LFTP, community seed banking was also introduced as an extension tool to increase farmer’s access to quality seeds. The facility is controlled and operated by farmers themselves. DA had also invested in trainings to fully equip the LFTs. “My social mobilization, facilitation, and communication skills was enhanced after I went through verious trainings conducted by DA and its attached agencies which made me a more capable Local Farm Technician,” said Felix D. Vasquez, LFT of Cagwait, Surigao del Sur. “Palay Check System, Integrated Pest Management and Agro-Ecosystem Analysis are a few of the rice technologies that were shared to me which I also shared to my fellow farmers through Farmers Field School,” he added. As part of their incentive, LFTs are provided by the DA P3,000 per month released quarterly. This is to ensure mobility of the LFTs within their area of responsibility and also ensures sustainability of agriextension services in the barangays. AUGUST 2014 | PAGE
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