Exposure Trip Guide

Rationale
The BU-DAR ARCCESS Project: Market-Oriented Agri-Technology and Agri-Extension
Services is a support service delivery mechanism of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
created to contribute to the overall goal of rural poverty reduction particularly in agrarian reform
areas. It aimed at improving the farm and off-farm incomes of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries
(ARBs) through their organizations. It organizes the production, post-harvest, processing,
logistics, and marketing activities of ARBOs, provides common service facilities, and incubates
the agri-enterprise in order to improve farm yields, reduce inefficiencies, and increase production
volume. Also, prioritizes organizationally-mature ARBOs that will serve as hub or center of
support services not only for their own needs but those of other ARBOs and ARBs in the
community as well
The project seeks to procure agri-technology and agri-extension providers to assist the
ARBOs. Agri-technology is the conduct of research and development on agricultural production
and processing to develop novel farm products, agri-extension is the application of scientific
research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education and other
communication and learning activities.
One of the key component activities of the Project is the training and coaching of Farmer
Technicians. This involves the transfer of knowledge and skills to selected ARBs who will form
part of a pool of trainors. These farmer-technicians, in partnership with the CBEOs, should be able
to continue the coaching and sustain the technology transfer activities within the ARBOs and
community. Additional output shall be a training plan to be prepared by the farmer-technicians.
The training and deployment of Farmer Technicians in the DAR ARCCESS project sites is
considered and important strategy to ensure successful implementation and sustainability of the
project. For one, the deployment of these technicians, shall complement the manpower
requirement of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and/or the Local Government Units (LGUs)
in its program of promoting and enhancing the adoption of new and appropriate technologies to
improve farm production and income.
Recently, DA has embarked on identifying, training, and deploying the so Local Farmer
Technicians (LFTs) to address the gap in the number of farm technicians to ensure success of its
Food Staple Sufficiency Program (FSSP). Accordingly, Training design and program had already
been developed conducted by the Department through the Agricultural Training Institute (DAATI). Hence for practical reason and to make ARCCESS initiatives keep pace with this national,
the training for the Farmer Technicians for the DAR ARCCESS is along this initiative, with the
mechanization being given due emphasis. It has been recognized that low agricultural
productivity and profitability in the Philippines may be partly traced to the poor adoption of
mechanization strategy in the production, harvesting and post-production processes among the
farmers. Moreover, aligning this Training to the LFT initiative of the DA shall also ensure faster
and more meaningful institutionalization of the Farmer Technicians within the structure of the
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LGUs that will be of great strategic advantage for the Cooperatives in particular and DAR agrarian
reform areas in general.
This training will have two basic topical components: a) the agricultural extension
competency development and b) the farming competency development. These two basic
competencies shall enable the Farmer Technician to perform his role as change agent for the
promotion of appropriate farming technologies and practices and as technical persons equipped
with adequate know-how on the latest technologies and practices in crop production, processing
and marketing along the priority crop commodity of their cooperative.
An added on feature of the training design is to bring the participants to an exposure trip
where they could have actual observation of new technologies/practices and teaching method
related to their economic/farm project and at the same time give them a chance to interact with
farmers who are already farmer technicians themselves in their own locality. This strategy is
believed to facilitate the teaching-learning process and further encourage and inspire them to
become farmer technicians also in their own place.
This training program incorporates another major training that must be designed and
conducted under the Project, i.e. Farm Planning.
Objectives of the Exposure Trip:
To provide a venue and opportunity for the participants to visit model farms that showcase
or adopt SLM approaches and technologies and acquire important insights or lessons along the
said subject matter and be able to prepare a more improved Farm Plans.
Specifically, the study tour is designed to achieve the following:
1. Visit and see various farms within the Bicol Region and at Southern Luzon areas where
SLM technologies are being practiced to improve and sustain production income and
conserve or maintain environmental quality of sloping lands;
2. Identify best practices in sloping land management;
3. Initially identify possible market outlets for agricultural products; and
4. Formulate strategies or list down action points on how to improve the CFV farmervolunteers farms.
Participants
The participants to this Exposure Trip are the farmer technicians from Camarines Norte:
twenty five (25) from Sta. Elena and fifty (50) from Basud.

The following are the participants:

STA. ELENA
ORGANIZATION/D
ESIGNATION

NAME OF FARMER TECHNICIAN

BARANGAY

1.Nimfa G. Fabavier

Purok 9 Poblacion

2.Victor L. Esperas
3.Charlito G. Cortes
4.Editha B. Bellen
5.Benedicto A. Amparo
6.Emely C. Lladones
7.Nick Deguzman
8.Juan A.Lomerio
9.Loreto A. Lomerio
10.Jayson Ebora
11.Alejandro P. Halili
12.Roberto C. Tierra
13.Ramon O. Garduque
14.Danilo R. Sanez
15.Octavio M. Porto
16.Elmer C. Amparo
17.Rodrigo A. Delmundo
18.Gemma A. Bueza
19.Valentine L. Claveria
20.Christoper M. Bercilla
21.Ricardo Opena
22.Myla A. Guarin
23.Eduardo T. Gutierez
24.Isagani Mayo
25.Nicanor T. Tawat

Purok 8 Poblacion
Purok 2 Poblacion
Purok 14 Poblacion
Zone 4 Rizal
Purok 2Poblacion
Purok 3 Rizal
Purok 4 Rizal
Purok 4 Rizal
Purok 4 Rizal
Purok 2 Rizal
Purok 2 Rizal
Purok 1 Rizal
Purok 14 Rizal
Purok 14 Rizal
Purok 4 Rizal
Zone 1 San Lorenzo
PurokSan Vicente
Purok 3 San Vicente
Zone 8 Poblacion
PurokSan Lorenzo
Basiad
Purok 2 Maulawin
Purok 2 Maulawin
Purok 3 Maulawin

Chairman
SEFMPC/ARB
BOD /ARB
BOD
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB/ brgy.kgwd.
ARB/brgy.captain
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
BOD/ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB
ARB

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
20-24 July 2009

Day/Time
PHASE I
(Includes Exposure Trip)
Day 1

Activity
Camarines Norte to BUCAF

Person Responsible
Dr. Antonio P. Payonga
Prof. Jose T. de leon
Prof. Antonio P. Padayao Jr.
Ranillo P. Babagay
Edilberto P. Pecundo

9:00AM-3:00PM
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2:00PM
2:00PM-2:30PM
5:30PM
6:00PM-6:30PM

Arrival of the 75 Farmer

Technicians to BUCAF
Registration
Dinner
Overview of DAR ARCCESS
PROJECT: Market-Oriented
Agri-Technology and AgriExtension Services
-Overview of the Exposure Trip

6:30PM-7:00PM

Introductory topics
-Overview of Agriculture
-Status
-Problems
-Prospects
-development agenda for
agriculture (Bicol)

7:00PM-7:30PM

Importance of farm
Mechanization

7:30PM-9:00PM
10:00PM
Day 2

Welcome Party
TAPS

6:00AM
7:00AM-2:00PM

Registration
Exposure Trip
Palay- Balangibang, Polangui,
Albay

Classroom Lecture
Discussion
3:00PM-3:30PM
3:30PM-4:30PM

Agricultural Extension
Competency
-Overview of Extension
-Extension Communication

4:30PM-5:30PM

-Role and functions of an

Extension Agent

5:30PM-6:00PM

-Introduction to Andragogy

6:00PM-8:00PM

-Extension Methods and

Techniques

8:00PM-9:00PM

Dinner/ Planning for Phase II

Training
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9:00PM
DAY 3

TAPS

7:00-12:00

BUCAF to Camarines Norte

PHASE II
Farming Competency
(Details will be made
during Phase I)
*Basically on-field/site
and season long
(June-August, 2014)

Farm Planning

Dr. Antonio P. Payonga

Prof. Jose T. de leon
Prof. Antonio P. Padayao Jr.
Ranillo P. Babagay
Edilberto P. Pecundo

Production Process/ Cultural

Practices for Crops
-Factors Affecting Yield
-Major Activities
-Site Selection and improvement
(contour establishment)
-Seed Selection
-Land Preparation
-Planting
-Care and Maintenance
-Cultivation
-Weeding
-Fertilizer Application
-Pest Management and Control
-Other needed cultural practices
B. Harvesting
C. Post Harvest Process
-Cleaning
-Sorting/Grading
- Coco coir extraction
-Coco coir and peat utilization
and organic fertilizer production
-coco coir and peat-based
products quality improvement
-Processing
-Packaging
Marketing

Things to Bring
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(by the participants)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Comfortable walking shoes;

Light clothes (t-shirts, pants, shorts, etc.);
Pair of slippers or sandals;
Umbrella and/or hat;
Blanket/pillow (optional)
Jacket
Personal toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, soap, etc.)
Personal medicines
ID/cedula
Other personal things
Attitudes and Behaviours

1. Clarity of Purpose
NOT
RATHER
To learn everything
To learn with them
To solve their problems
To facilitate learning process
To criticize or give advice
To be there in the spirit of friendship and
mutual learning experience
To take action
To promise help
HUMBLE
ACCEPT OUR LIMITATIONS AS EXTERNAL ENTITIES
AND FOR TEMPORARY PRESENCE
2. Clarity of Activity
NOT
RATHER
A pleasure trip
A journey of learning
A sightseeing
READINESS AND FLEXIBILITY
ACCEPT THE LIMITATIONS OF THE PLACE/VILLAGE
3. Respect of the peoples culture
4. Principle of accountability. In gratitude to those who have given us this learning
opportunity, we commit ourselves to protect the integrity of the institution (BU and
LGU-Ligao CitY) and the people involved in this process.
- Give our best in the preparation of daily output and give copy to CFV team
- Be responsible in taking care of our own copy of output
5. Organization
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Pre-course preparation (confirmation/accommodations)

Background materials
Tentative Schedule of activities
What to bring
Formation of teams and planning

Team Planning and Setting

1. Preliminaries
2. Organize the group composed of 5 individuals per group thru draw lots.
3. Select the team leader (1), observers (2) and service team (2).
Responsibilities
Team leader
provides lead role in enabling the team to perform its tasks
develop group solidarity effectively and efficiently
ensure that the journals are accomplished and collected
prepare summary of the learnings based on the format of the journal
present group output (at assigned time)
be aware of the whereabouts of the team members and inform the CFV Mgt. Team
inform CFV Mgt. Team of other important concerns
Process observer
uses keen observation and takes note of how the team actually perform its tasks and
group building functions
gives suggestions on how to enhance effectiveness and efficiency of its functioning
Provides feedback to the team promptly and/or during the team evaluation-reflection
session.
Service
ensure that IDs are worn and journals are carried and accomplished every time
takes care of needed materials and other needs of the team
time-keeping and ensure that members of the team are around every departure and at
night
4. Short meeting with City Mayor or representative

Daily Team Evaluation-Reflection Session

At the end of the day, a short team evaluation-reflection session shall be held to present the
learnings of the day. Presenters shall be selected thru draw lots.