BUTUAN CITY -- Reduce production costs, increase yield and increase farmer’s income.

Posterity pose after the graduation ceremony

These are the focal point on the collaboration of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and United Nations - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) towards achieving food sufficiency.

To trickle down the concept, DA and FAO recently conducted a 10-day extensive Refresher Training Course on Regional Rice Initiative: Phase II at Veranda in Carmen town, Agusan del Norte.

The training was attended by 57 participants who are mostly integrated pest management coordinators from DA regional offices and provincial and municipal/city agriculture offices from various regions in the country.

The training focused on innovative and sustainable practices focusing on rice ecosystems, landscapes and value chain incorporated on Save and Grow concept.

Save and Grow set by FAO is a new paradigm of intensive crop production, one that is both highly productive and environmentally sustainable.  It focuses on eco-friendly  farming practices often combining traditional knowledge with modern technologies that are adapted to the needs of small-scale producers. It also encourages the use of conservation agriculture, which boosts yields while restoring soil health.

Graduates of the said training are expected to pass on the learning to the farmers through the conduct of Farmers Field Schools (FFS).

During the graduation ceremony, DA undersecretary for policy and planning Segfredo Serrano emphasized the importance of capacitating the farmers to be resilient during calamities brought about by climate change.

“There are only two options for us to do about climate change, to mitigate or to adapt, which the latter is the best thing to do as far as our country is concerned,” he said.

DA Caraga regional director Edna Mabeza lauded the participants for the eagerness and willingness to learn.

“Education is a continuing process and I hope that upon returning to your respective regions you will teach the same to the farmers which is the objective of this kind of training,” Mabeza said.

FAO Asia and Pacific program development officer Alma Linda Abubakar said that since 2013, FAO has supported the Regional Rice Initiative and assisted three pilot countries such as Indonesia, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic and Philippines.

“Selection of the pilot areas was based on the commitment of each country to adhere to its purpose and its strong cooperation,” Abubakar said.

Regional Rice Initiative is focusing on goods and services produced by and available from rice ecosystems and landscapes, and identifying and undertaking sustainable rice production practices to enhance resilience and increase efficiencies in rice production to improve food security.

The regional initiative is aligned with FAO’s strategic objective to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable and its sustainable crop intensification policy, promoted under the banner of Save and Grow. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)

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BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 11 (PIA) -- Reduce production costs, increase yield and increase farmer’s income.
These are the focal point on the collaboration of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and United Nations - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) towards achieving food sufficiency.
To trickle down the concept, DA and FAO recently conducted a 10-day extensive Refresher Training Course on Regional Rice Initiative: Phase II at Veranda in Carmen town, Agusan del Norte.
The training was attended by 57 participants who are mostly integrated pest management coordinators from DA regional offices and provincial and municipal/city agriculture offices from various regions in the country.
The training focused on innovative and sustainable practices focusing on rice ecosystems, landscapes and value chain incorporated on Save and Grow concept.
Save and Grow set by FAO is a new paradigm of intensive crop production, one that is both highly productive and environmentally sustainable.  It focuses on eco-friendly  farming practices often combining traditional knowledge with modern technologies that are adapted to the needs of small-scale producers. It also encourages the use of conservation agriculture, which boosts yields while restoring soil health.
Graduates of the said training are expected to pass on the learning to the farmers through the conduct of Farmers Field Schools (FFS).
During the graduation ceremony, DA undersecretary for policy and planning Segfredo Serrano emphasized the importance of capacitating the farmers to be resilient during calamities brought about by climate change.
“There are only two options for us to do about climate change, to mitigate or to adapt, which the latter is the best thing to do as far as our country is concerned,” he said.
DA Caraga regional director Edna Mabeza lauded the participants for the eagerness and willingness to learn.
“Education is a continuing process and I hope that upon returning to your respective regions you will teach the same to the farmers which is the objective of this kind of training,” Mabeza said.
FAO Asia and Pacific program development officer Alma Linda Abubakar said that since 2013, FAO has supported the Regional Rice Initiative and assisted three pilot countries such as Indonesia, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic and Philippines.
“Selection of the pilot areas was based on the commitment of each country to adhere to its purpose and its strong cooperation,” Abubakar said.
Regional Rice Initiative is focusing on goods and services produced by and available from rice ecosystems and landscapes, and identifying and undertaking sustainable rice production practices to enhance resilience and increase efficiencies in rice production to improve food security.
The regional initiative is aligned with FAO’s strategic objective to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable and its sustainable crop intensification policy, promoted under the banner of Save and Grow. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1701439183167/da-fao-collaborate-towards-rice-sufficiency#sthash.cpeLiLoi.dpuf