MAFAR capacitate regulatory officers thru training

GENERAL SANTOS CITY- Some 25 regulatory officers from the Research and Regulatory Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform has undergone Crop Pest Management, Surveillance, and Monitoring.

On February 8-11 at London Beach Resort, the activity aims to capacitate the regulatory officers equipped with knowledge on integrated pest management, able to identify crop pests and diseases and advise farmers on Crop Pest management, assess and calculate crop damage and yield loss from pests and diseases, and utilize a standard form or template of reporting and notification.

The crop pests and diseases which include fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, and insects, have become major constraints to agricultural production, especially in rice, corn, and vegetable production.

Chief of Regulatory and Quarantine Division Jamer M. Guimba said crop management and pest control are extremely important measures owing to the fact that a number of pests are carriers of harmful disease-causing microorganisms.

He said pest monitoring, surveillance, and early warnings are important to many pest control strategies because it helps determine if the threshold has been reached and whether control measures have been effective.

Bangsamoro Director-General for Agriculture Services Daud K. Lagasi, Ph.D. said this training capacitate the employee to become knowledgeable and must be committed, know their function and responsibility to serve Bangsamoro people.

Resource speakers from Regional Crop Protection Center DA-XII presented topics on the Important Pest & Diseases of Rice, Corn and Vegetable, Integrated Pest Management, Fall Armyworm it’s Biology/ Ecology and Key Characteristic, Damage and Yield Loss Assessment, Alkhomine Apad and Surveillance and Monitoring Tools, Reporting, and Data Management.

In addition, MAFAR Minister Mohammad A. Yacob, Ph.D., Engr. Ismael Guiamel, director for Agriculture Service is present during the activity.