AFTER the 10-week airing of lecture discussions, 729 coconut farmers across the region will graduate from the “School-on-the-Air (SOA) on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Coconut” of the Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) CALABARZON.
The said completion rites will happen on October 4, 2024, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, at San Pablo City Multipurpose and Convention Center, San Pablo City, Laguna.
Dubbed as “Masaganang Coco-buhayan: Radyo Eskwela sa Pagniniyugan,” the program aims to strengthen the coconut industry in CALABARZON by highlighting its potential as a sustainable livelihood and innovative enterprise for farmers.
Invited guests for the graduation ceremony include Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food; Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food; ATI Dir. Remelyn R. Recoter; DA CALABARZON Regional Executive Dir. Fidel Libao; as well as governors of five provinces in the region.
The SOA program aired 20 episodes from June 19 – August 23, 2024, on partner radio stations 106.3 Radyo Natin Laguna, 92.7 Spirit FM Infanta, 102.5 Radyo Natin BonPen, and via YouTube channel and Facebook page of DA-ATI CALABARZON. Some topics covered were Site Selection and Management, Field Layout and Planting, Planting and Replanting of Damaged Palms, Farm Maintenance, Farm Diversification, and Harvesting and Postharvest Handling, based on the Philippine National Standard (PNS) Code of GAP for coconut.
The 20 episodes were delivered by radio teachers from a pool of coconut specialists and subject matter specialists from various attached agencies and bureaus under DA, particularly the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Region IV-A.
In the course of the program, ATI CALABARZON administered various quizzes and tests to assess the knowledge and understanding of the participants.
Still under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) and in collaboration with the PCA Region IV-A, this is the second time the ATI CALABARZON implemented the SOA program dedicated to the coconut industry after its pilot implementation last year
