Training-services

ATI provides training opportunities on commodity-based technologies, along the food value chain, through the DA Banner Programs on rice, corn, organic agriculture, and high-value crops. Likewise, the ATI also focuses on the provision of social technology trainings in areas such as leadership and management, soft skills, project management, digital tools for agriculture, and agri-entrepreneurship.

Specialists Training Courses

• Agricultural Development Officers of the Community (AgriDOC) – a season-long, experiential course with transformational leadership as its foundation. It is being implemented through the project, “Improving Technology Promotion and Delivery through Capability Enhancement of Next-Gen Rice Extension Professionals and Other Intermediaries” (IPAD), which aims to develop a new breed of rice extension experts through undergoing several rice-related training programs.
• Specialists Course (CST/HVCDP) – a four (4.0) to four and half (4.5) months season-long training on Integrated Crops Management utilizing the non-formal education (NFE) approaches. It is intended for the RFO, ATI, LGU coordinators, and other GAs who provide extension services to the LGUs and farmers. Graduates of this course are responsible in conducting succeeding season-long ToTs for AEWs and selected farmer-leaders, who in turn will conduct Farmers Field Schools (FFS) in their respective municipalities.
• Specialist Training on Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) – are quality assurance initiatives that follow the production-to-consumption approach in providing guarantees on the integrity and quality of organic products. As an alternative and complementary tool to third-party certification, PGS plays a vital role in rural development and farmer empowerment through active engagement to the farmers in the whole process of verification, decision making, and marketing. With its recognition by law, organic farmers will be able to get training and certification for their produce, without incurring heavy costs.

Training of Trainers Program

• Season-long Training of Trainers (SL-TOT) for HVCDP – focuses on crops production for the banner programs focal or technical staff. The graduates of this training course shall be responsible for the dissemination of these technologies in their respective regions. The course is a rigid training for a team of trainers who will in turn conduct Farmers Schools in crops-producing areas.
• Season-long Training of Trainers (SL-TOT) on Integrated Crop Management in Corn – a comprehensive approach in crops production that combines the concepts and lessons on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Nutrient Management (INM).
• Training of Trainers (TOT) on Good Agricultural Practices for Fruits and Vegetables – designed to familiarize participants on the content of Republic Act No. 10611 or the Food Safety Act of 2013, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). It is also designed to provide knowledge on the basic principles of GAP standards, implementation mechanisms, and GAP certification protocols for client dissemination.
• Training of Trainers on Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation Program – comprises trainings on innovative corn production technologies, postharvest machineries, and farm input assistance, among others. It is deemed as an effective tool to raise the economies of small-scale farmers, and their competitiveness in corn production. This intervention and support, aims to enable the farmers to greatly reduce their cost of operations, achieve plentiful harvest, earn better income, and improve their quality of life.
• Training of Trainers on Corn-based Farmer Scientist RDE Training Program (FSTP) – an integrative and holistic agricultural research, development, and extension (RDE) methodology involving primarily the development of appropriate values of farmers engaged in crops such as corn, rice, vegetables, and animals in corn-based production system to adopt scientific and sustainable methods of farming. In involves the learning and problem-solving processes in farming and as an enterprise through lectures and field experimentation, value formation, and resource mobilization from various stakeholders.
• Training of Trainers on the Management of Fall Army Worm (FAW) – intended to ensure a long-term management option to at least control FAW infestation in crops. This TOT was designed to help create a pool of FAW experts that can be tapped to provide technical assistance to farmers in the field.
• Climate Resilient Farm Business School (CRFBS) Training of Trainers – aims to create pool of trainers to help upgrade farmers’ awareness, understanding, and learning to adapt not only to changing climate but also to reorient their families’ ecological and farm resources into economic units that will enable them to acquire knowledge on business farming.
• Sustainable Corn Production in Sloping Areas (SCoPSA) – an innovative intervention in corn production to enhance the productivity level of corn through a sustainable land use management. It aims to enhance the trainees’ awareness on the status, concepts, and principles of sloping land management, and the importance of protecting land resources in sloping areas planted to corn.
• Site Specific Nutrient Management/Nutrient Expert in Maize Philippine (NEMP) – a decision support tool for personal computers and android platforms that enables local experts to quickly formulate fertilizer guidelines for hybrid, open-pollinated, and traditional varieties of maize in the country. This training aims to orient and familiarize the trainees in using the nutrient expert.
• Skills Training in Corn and Cassava Processing, Labeling and Packaging – aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of the participants on product quality and safety management in corn processing and packaging, to ensure safe food and good health for consumers.
• Training Course on Good Agriculture Practices – Code of Practice on the Prevention and Reduction of Mycotoxin in Corn Grits – a set of consolidated safety and quality standards formulated by the Department of Agriculture for the production, harvesting and on-farm postharvest handling and storage of corn. This training program intends to enhance the knowledge of the participants on the code of Hygienic Practice in the Processing and Handling of Corn Grits as adapted by the Philippine National Standards (PNS), and the code of practice on the reduction of mycotoxin in corn grits.
• Training towards Certification (ICS) Advanced Training – The role of Internal Control System (ICS) is to be an official “control body”, which implies that certain basic requirements for organic inspection must to be fulfilled. Organic standards implemented by each member of the group need to be evaluated and controlled. Standards inspection protocols are integral for the implementation of ICS. Hence, assistance to smallholder groups in this aspect is crucial to prepare them for certification, and allow more market access of their products. The general objective of this training is to capacitate smallholder groups in the installation of ICS in their organic farming activities.

Refresher Courses/Technology Updating Courses These are a three-day training designed for the AEWs and farmer-leaders who are assigned under the Banner Programs. It is intended to constantly update their knowledge and skills on sustainable farming technologies and practices that are essential in adapting to the seasonal change of extension delivery. Some of these technologies include land preparation; crop establishment; crop nutrition; integrated water management; integrated pest management; product stewardship safe and responsible use of crop; and harvest and postharvest technology, among others.

Technical Briefing/Consultation for Implementers Complementing the ATI training Programs, this initiative is designed to reach and engage the program beneficiaries and its partners-intermediaries. ATI, with assistance from other DA offices, Research Institutions, SUCs, and LGUs, organizes Knowledge, Sharing and Learning (KSL) activities in various forms, such as technical briefings. Each KSL is led by an expert in the relevant field, and typically consists of discussion of the introduced technology/service, current and emerging approaches and practices, relevant research/ field results, and success stories, as well as outlook at possible future trends and program directions.