Bohol farmer-scientists first-ever confab on Sat.
In an effort to continue and sustain farming innovations, the first-ever Bohol Farmer-Scientist Training Program (FSTP) Farmers Congress will be conducted on October 27, 2018 at the Bohol Island State University (BISU) Activity Center, CPG Avenue, Tagbilaran City.
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas said that the congress is a whole day gathering of government leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, researchers, farmers, teachers and students, out of school adults and youth employing the platform of translational research to motivate cooperation and innovative learning, evidence-based entrepreneurship, community growth and development.
Pamugas said the province of Bohol through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in partnership with Agricultural Training Institute (ATI-RC&), Bohol Island State University (BISU), Bilar Campus and the FSTP National Program Leader has taken an initiative for successful adaption and implementation of this unique, scientific-based FSTP approach to Boholano farmers and agricultural extension workers who have potential to be farmer-scientists.
He said that we have already FSTP-trained farmers (farmer-scientists) in 11 selected municipalities in Bohol namely: Panglao, Dauis, Loon, Calape, Danao, Ubay, Anda, Sierra Bullones, Duero, Corella and Dimiao.
The FSTP started the implementation in 1994 with Dr. romulo Davide of the University of the Philippnes Los Baños (UPLB), College of Agriculture as an action program under an umbrella program implemented by the College of Agriculture.
In 2008, the FSTP was elevated into a national banner program by virtue of Executive Order No. 710, series of 2018 also known as the “Nationwide Adoption of Corn-based Farmer-Scientists Research, Development and Extension Training Program for Sustainable Agricultural Development to Liberate Poor Farmers from the Bondage of Poverty and Hunger which aim to uplift the condition of poor farmers through this corn-based partnership program for sustainable agricultural development”.
FSTP is an integrative three-phase agricultural research, development and extension methodology primarily to capacitate these farmers on becoming farmer-scientists by providing training on value development and farming technologies.
He said the speakers and facilitators come from various disciplines of the academe in the UPLB, FSTP, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the East-West Seed Company, and other agro-industrial companies who will share their knowledge and products on agro-fisheries both in the plenary session and the parallel workshops.
Pamugas bared that in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the affair, the different working committees at the OPA are doing the ground working of the affair. (Atoy Cosap)