219 Farmers in Agusan del Sur Graduates in School on the Air on Upland Rice Production

Agusan del Sur Governor Adolph Edward Plaza guest speaker during the graduation

Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur - After four months of assiduously listening, a total of 219 upland farmers finally graduated from School on the Air (SOA) on Upland Rice Production, an intensive course aired through radio station DXDA in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Anchored by Agusan del Sur Farmcaster Jasmine Reyes, the said SOA on Upland Rice Production was a collaborative project of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit 13, Provincial Agriculture Office and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Agusan Experiment Station.

The 219 farmer graduates flocked in the covered court of Gov. D.O. Plaza Government Center in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur last May 31, 2012 for the graduation ceremony which were graced by Governor Adolph Edward Plaza, OIC Provincial Agriculturist Joriz Elevazo and Regional Information Officer Rebecca  Atega.

Elevazo presented the farmer graduates and was conferred by Rebecca Atega representing OIC Regional Executive Director Edna Mabeza.

Of 219 farmers graduates 23 were coming from San Luis, 53 from Prosperidad, 17 from Bunawan, 6 from Talocogon, 59 from La Paz and the most number of graduates were coming from Loreto with 61 farmers.

Atega said that upland farmers played a big role in the campaign of the government to attain food sufficiency in the country.

She urged the graduates to apply what they had learned from listening the School on the Air which featured various topics with expert resource persons coming from PhilRice and Agusan del Sur Provincial Agriculture Office.

Meanwhile to boost upland farming in the province, Governor Plaza announced that the provincial government of Agusan del Sur will provide start-up seeds support through the Provincial Agriculture Office.

He also urged the farmers not just to plant rice alone but also vegetables particularly high value vegetables commonly called chopsuey vegetables such as carrot, broccoli, lettuce and more which he said has higher price in the market.

He envisioned that Agusan del Sur will be a producer of high value vegetables to increase income of the farmers particularly in high land areas such as in La Paz and Loreto. (Aurell P. Arais/RAFID DA CARAGA)

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