DA holds talks on agri service cost standards

In an effort to update and harmonize the cost standards on Agriculture and Fisheries Extention (AFE) Services, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) conducted the Visayas Zonal Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on March 14-15, 2017 at the ATI-Regional Training Center VI, Aklan State University Compound, Banga, Aklan.
Rosanna G. Lamdagan, chief-Agribusiness Division, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist who attended the activity said the two-day consultation was participated by the provincial agriculturists or their representatives, directors of the state universities and colleges, and ATI Regional Center chiefs in the Visayas Regions.
In region 7, Grace F. Arado represented ATI-7 center chief Carolyn O. Daquio while the Bohol Island State University (BISU) also sent a representative in behalf of the director.
Lamdagan said that on the first day of the consultation Dr. Andrew D. Gasmen, section chief, policy and standards development section, ATI-Central Office, discussed about the Agriculture and Fisheries Extension (AFE) Cost Standards.
Lamdagan said that Gasmen emphasized on the necessity of harmonized cost standards in the same region though Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have different AFE Cost Standards.
Lamdagan bared that it was also thoroughly emphasized that the process of review and formulation is an essential complementary preparation of a guide document that will facilitate towards the implementation of the cost standards.
On his part, Dir. IV Asterio P. Saliot, MNSA PhD. CESO III, ATI-CO explained that the utility of these cost standards is greatly important for agencies that are performing extension functions, especially in areas of planning, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluation.
He said it will help minimize extreme deviations of financial accomplishments from the financial targets. Likewise, standardized costing of items will aid in estimating corresponding budget of targeted programs, activities, and projects, thereby, enhancing the implementers’ planning efficiency.
Christine G. Uriarte talked on the workshop mechanics followed by group workshop to identify the parameters, activities, cost items and equivalent unit of measure, assumptions and actual costs of each AFE service.
The presentation, critiquing and harmonization of initial output was done in the later part on the first day and was refined and finalized the following day for the submission of final output. (Atoy Cosap)