AEWS, ORGANIC FARMERS TRAINED IN MANUAL OPERATIONS BY MAFAR

30 Agricultural Extension Workers and Organic Farmers from the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur underwent training on manual operations at Go Hotel, Lanang, Davao City, on December 5-8, 2023.

The Supervising Agriculturist and BARMMIAFRC Center Manager, Mr. Abdul Nasseef Ulong, extended a warm welcome to participants with a message of cooperation and participation for them to achieve their goal, which is to elevate their knowledge in crafting a Manual of Operation for their existing PGS Group.

Mr. Johnny Pasaquian, Agriculturist II from ATI-RTS 12, serves as the resource speaker to impart new learnings on the Manual of Operations to the same participants who attended the training of trainers on the Participatory Guarantee System, which was conducted last September.

He tackled the internal standards and manual of operations that aligned in internal standards of the PGS group applicable to Philippine National Standards relevant to the organic agriculture. Also, he discussed the management system and the procedures and documentation of PGS.

The participants then went into a plenary exercise for the drafting of internal standards and a manual of operations by the core PGS group. Each group presented their workshop output in the afternoon for the critiquing of the resource speaker.

Ms. Elvie C. Betonio, Science Research Specialist II and MAFAR-RDE Organic Focal expresses her message of appreciation for the cooperation shown by the participant and acknowledges the wit of the resource speaker by sharing his expertise in crafting the manual of operations and standards.

Also, MAFAR Regional Focal for the Organic Program, Rowaida Z. Kado, said in order to assist organic farmers in obtaining an organic certification for organic agriculture and the production of organic goods, they will be creating a standard operating manual that is appropriate to their community.