e-extension agenda 11th issue

e-Extension Agenda January 2012 1

Vol. 1 No.3

January 2012

e-Learning Courses on Sustainable Agriculture: Coming Soon!

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental – More online courses at e-Learning for Agriculture and

Fisheries are coming up!Courses with emphasis on

Sustainable Agriculture are currently being developed by the new set of courseware developers from the academe; local government and the private sector. These courses cover various topics on natural farming systems for crops and livestock; rice-duck integrated farming system; organic rice breeding; production of organic cassava, organic rice, organic carrot, organic upland rice and trichoderma; alternative pest management for organic rice; seaweed extract production; and soil health management.

Likewise, other courses on oyster mushroom production; poultry management for confined chickens as well as for free-range native chickens; basic landscaping; proposal-writing; and farm record-keeping will also be among

the courses that will be offered soon.The latest courseware development

team is composed of technical staff from Xavier University College of Agriculture and Sustainable Agriculture Center; Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology; Central Mindanao University; Local Government Units of Dumingag and Valencia City; Service Inc. – a non-government organization based in Ozamiz City.

The team is organized and coordinated through the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center 10.

The 1st phase of the workshop in support to the Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture program was conducted from August 1 to 5, 2011 while the 2nd phase was held last Oct. 24 to 28, 2011 at the Southeast Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute, Fr. W.F. Masterson Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City. (YCRAgsawa)

What’s InsideATI Region 8 Hosts Initial Batch of Techno Gabay Regional Consultation ------------------------- 2

ATI-Caraga Holds 4th e-Learning Mass Graduation--------------------- 3

NMRice Mobile Showcased in Pangasinan--------------------------- 4

e-Extension for AFE Kicks into Fifth gear ---------------------------- 8

e-Learning Courses on Sustainable Agriculture will soon be offered with the new set of courseware developers coming from the academe; local government and the private sector. The latest courseware development team is composed of technical staff from Xavier University College of Agriculture and Sustainable Agriculture Center; Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology; Central Mindanao University; Local Government Units of Dumingag and Valencia City; Service Inc. – a non-government organization based in Ozamiz City.

In collaboration with the Sustainable Agriculture Center (SAC) of Xavier University (XU) in Cagayan de Oro

City, a new e-learning course category is now being introduced as part of the Department of Agriculture's e-Extension Program for Agriculture and Fisheries.

Dubbed as the Sustainable Agriculture category, this offers new e-learning courses that promote best practices to protect the environment with the application of some farming practices. More courses are being developed in collaboration with the CSD-XU and will soon be offered within the year.

At present, there are three course offerings under Sustainable Agriculture, to wit -- Vermicomposting: Turning Trash to Cash; Organic Fertilizer for Sustainable Agriculture; and a new course offering, the Insects Away, the Alternative Way.

So what are you waiting for? Log in and enroll now!

2012 Starts with a New Course Category for

e-Learning


NEWS

Editor Pamela MG Mappala

Writers Benedict C. Natividad Pamela MG Mappala Yovina-Claire R. Agsawa Contributors Maricel D. Dacapias (ATI-RTC 1) Clarisse M. Alaska (ATI-RTC 2) Primalou B. Imperial (ATI-RTC 5) Merrian P. Soliva (ATI-RTC 7) Dennis Boyd Baltazar (ATI-RTC 8) Layout Artist Benedict C. Natividad

Editorial Consultants Antonieta J. Arceo Jose Rey Y. Alo

Advisers Asterio P. Saliot MNSA, CESO III Evelyn Aro-Esquejo PhD, MNSA, CESO VI Alberto B. Maningding MNSA, CESO IV

The e-Extension AgendaVolume V No.2 January 201

ATI Region 8 Hosts Initial Batch of Techno Gabay Regional Consultation

ORMOC CITY, Leyte – In the next two years, the Techno Gabay Program (TGP) will

be Institutionalized at the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). Hence, ATI deemed it necessary to brief and discuss the plan to its stakeholders in the regions, thus the first batch of the Regional Consultation Workshop was conducted last August 23 to 25, 2011.

Participants of the consultation workshops consisted coordinators from the consortia, which included the Regional Applied Communication Office (RACO), Regional Management Information System (RMIS) as well as the Regional Techno Gabay Coordinators (RTGCs), and Partner Member Agencies (PMAs) Team Leaders from regions IV-A, IV-B, 5 and 8, while the participants from ATI included the e-Extension Coordinators.

The activity aimed to brief the group on the status of program as well as to introduce the parallel extension activities of ATI. Likewise, workshops were conducted to discuss the plans, programs and strategies on the institutionalization and to draw

out lessons learned and identify recommendations for the improvement of the FITS Center operation including the services of the Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) in the regions.

The consultation-workshop was held at the Sabin Hotel, Bantique, Ormoc City, Leyte.(BCNatividad)

Scenes from the Regional Consultations of Techno Gabay Program

Vice Mayor Rogelio D. Pua Jr (third from right) of Inopacan, Leyte posed with the participants when they visited the LGU-FITS Center during the Visayas Regional Consultation of the Techno Gabay Program.

Participants of the Visayas Consultations visited Magsasaka Siyentista Ramon Peñalosa at his Science and Technology-Based Farm.

Magsasaka Siyentista Elesia Alilis of FITS Tuba guide the participants of the Luzon Techno Gabay Regional Consultation on their tour at her farm during the field visit.

Magsasaka Siyentista Marcos Dumandan explains his methods that made his farm successful during the Mindanao Consultation.


NEWSATI-Caraga Holds 4th e-Learning Mass Graduation

LOS ANGELES, Butuan City – The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training

Center (ATI-RTC) in Caraga recently held the 4th e-Learning Mass Graduation, with a total of 368 graduates.

The graduates were comprised of agriculture students, faculty and staff from Caraga State University (CSU) and Surigao Del Sur State University (SDSSU), agricultural extension workers and farmers from the region who completed the requirements of various online courses they took from the e-Learning portal of the e-Extension Program for Agriculture and Fisheries.

ATI-RTC Caraga was the first ATI Training Center to implement the e-Learning mass graduation which is now being held annually. The ATI in

Caraga implemented this activity as a strategy to lure more enrollees as well as graduates and consequently it has been picked up as an effective strategy by other regions such as regions IVA and VI.

The event was graced by Dr. Edna M. Mabeza, OIC-Regional Executive Director of Department of Agriculture - Regional Field Unit XIII,

Dr. Pastor Salera, Campus Director of SDSSU - San Miguel, Dean Tomas M. Austral, Jr. of CSU, Jose Rey Y. Alo, ATI's e-Learning Process Advisor and Antonieta J. Arceo, Chief of the ATI-Knowledge Products Management Division (ATI-KPMD) represented the ATI Director Asterio P. Saliot. ATI-RTC XIII Center Director Nenita D. Sumile welcomed the guests and e-learning graduates.

In her message to the graduates, Arceo noted the graduates for accessing new knowledge through a different kind of modality.”You are different because you have accessed from a different kind of learning strategy and in doing so you have graduated from this innovative extension program,” Arceo said. Further she stressed that as graduates of e-learning, they continue

to be different, seek further knowledge, apply what they have learned and promote the program to other extension workers and agricultural students.

The e-Learning graduates likewise were given an opportunity to explore the demonstration

sites of the ATI RTC Caraga and meet the e-Extension Coordinators and the e-Learning Management Team from ATI.

The e-Learning courses can be accessed at www.e-extension.gov.ph/elearning.

The mass graduation was held last December 1, 2011 at the ATI-RTC Caraga in Los Angeles, Butuan City. (BCNatividad)

e-Extension by the Numbers

10,069 users have already been registered in the

e-Learning site (www.e-extension.gov.ph/elearning). It may also be noted that Edwin Aguinaldo, a farmer from Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya became the 10,000th registered user of the site. Furthermore, the e-Learning site now belongs to Moodle’s list with large installations ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 users together with other countries.

4,632 have graduated from the 7,122 enrollees of the

various courses offered in the e-Learning site as of January 11, 2012. This is a 65% graduation mark.

25 Online courses are currently being offered in the e-Learning

site. These courses are under five different categories namely: Crops, Livestocks and Poultry, Fisheries, Social Technology and Sustainable Agriculture.

1,088 Facebook users have liked the e-Extension Page in

Facebook, with Merlyn S. Gumap-as, a student of Caraga State University, recognized as the 1,000th person who liked the page.

3,637 text messages received by the Farmers Contact

Center, the massages range from queries on agri and fisheries to e-Learning concerns coming from the different parts of the country.

38,449 were recipients of broadcasted messages

of the Farmers Contact Center. These broadcasted messages were primarily techno tips specifically focusing on organic agriculture.

725 calls received by the Farmers Contact Center for the year

2011. These calls usually are queries on agriculture and fisheries as well as e-learning concerns.

1,102 downloaded digital learning resources from the e-learning

site. These digital learning resources are the techno guides that were developed by ATI and uploaded in the e-learning site. (BCNatividad)


AT THE REGIONSAT THE REGIONSNMRiceMobile Showcased in Pangasinan

113 AEWs Gear for e-ExtensionATI, TESDA Team up for Data Management Training Course

e-Extension Appreciation and Computer-Based Data Management Course Conducted for AEWs

ATI-RTC 1 Conducts 6 Batches of GIS training; Briefs AEWs on e-Extension Program

STA. BARBARA, Pangasinan – Aiming to become a GIS-ready region, the Agricultural Training

Institute-Regional Training Center I (ATI-RTC I) conducted six batches of twin courses on Introductory Training on Geographic Information System (GIS) with a briefing on e-Extension Program.

This was in the partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit and Pangasinan State University.

With the GIS technology, the factors that influence crop productivity can be identified, mapped and

used to provide an implemented solution.

Likewise, with increased awareness of geospatial technologies and its role in society, Philippine agriculture has and must continue to embrace information communication technology (ICT) and GIS to adapt to the changing circumstances.

Some 165 agricultural extension workers (AEWs) from Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union and Pangasinan participated in the said trainings. They were introduced to the GIS software and applications, briefed on the e-Extension Program and registered them in the AEWs database.

Engr. Joan Pauline Talubo and Lawrence T. Ramos served as

the resource speakers during the trainings.

Participants commended the training as it will help them on their line of work. “I’ve learned a lot from these trainings. I will put it on my inbox knowledge and store it in my database,” Cheryl Ruguian of Burgos, Ilocos Norte said. Another participant, Cornelio Balbesino, added that he was “amazed because this is my first time to attend these kinds of trainings.”

Phase II of these training is being planned and will be conducted this year. (MCDacapias)

CABAGAN, Isabela - As part of our continuous e-extension program advocacy and thrust to

conduct training on computer literacy to agricultural extension workers (AEWs), the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center 2 (ATI-RTC 2) conducted four batches of e-extension appreciation and computer-based data management course for AEWs from Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Batanes.

Conducted last August and September 2011, the said trainings capacitated 114 AEWs on the operations of computer programs,

database management and acquire knowledge on different commodities through the e-learning courses offered online. This is one component of the e-Extension program of the Department of Agriculture with the ATI as lead implementing agency.

For AEWs to be prepared in the fast changing technology, they were oriented on computer operations and the use of internet in acquiring information on agriculture and fishery. The e-Extension Program focusing on e-learning and e-farming, farmers’ contact center, Nutrient Manager for Rice Mobile (NMRiceMobile) was also introduced, For data processing and

documentation, the different programs of Microsoft office including Word, Excel and Powerpoint were also discussed.

Lecture-discussion and hands-on exercises were employed to effectively transfer the knowledge and skills. As a result, most participants finished their online course and enrolled further to other courses.

To continuously populate the AEW database, all participants registered and updated their profile in the said database. (CMAlaska)

Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan – Bringing the technology down to the farmers and fishers is the

principle behind the conduct of Nutrient Manager for Rice Mobile (NMRice Mobile) information caravan last November 24, 2011 in Pangasinan.

The activity aspired to impart a comprehensive overview about the objectives and services of NMRiceMobile together with the e-Extension Program of the Department of Agriculture. This will be the first of its kind in the world that will be showcased in Pangasinan. NMRiceMobile is supported by an online decision-making tool developed by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) called Nutrient Manager for Rice which is aptly designed for rice growing countries that will help the farmers and extension workers quickly determine the best fertilizer management practice for specific field.

The caravan included road show to strategic location in Pangasinan to promote NMRiceMobile. After which, a program was conducted at the ATI-RTC 1, the briefing on e-Extension Program and NMRice Mobile and an open forum followed.

Municipal Agriculturist of San Nicolas, Pangasinan Reynaldo Dotimas said “maganda ang naging bunga ng caravan dahil ngayon ay marami nang farmers ang may cellphone...mas mabilis and dissemenation ng information...itong nutrient manager for rice ay maganda kasi karamihan sa atin, mga extension workers, ay isa sa dapat na armas mo pag pupunta ka sa bukid kasi tinatanong ka ng mga farmers kung ano ang kailangan nila na fertilizer”.

The caravan was attended by 26 different municipalities of Pangasinan and the Provincial Agriculture’s Office with a total of 154 participants. With wholehearted support and participation of PhilRice, DA-Regional Field Unit I (RFU I), Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM), Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Pangasinan State University (PSU), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and Irrigators’ Association. (MCDacapias)

PILI, Camarines Sur -- Workers in agricultural extension in the Bicol Region took part in a series

of trainings on computer-based data management held August through September 2011

The trainings were sponsored by ATI-Bicol in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority's Regional Training Center V (TESDA-RTC V) in San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur. Altogether, 113 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from all six provinces of the Bicol Region attended the trainings that ensued on August 23-25, August 31-September 2, September 6-8, and September 13-15, 2011.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) and Provincial Agricultural Services (PAS) in all six Bicol provinces -- namely Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur,

Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon -- coordinated the training particularly in selecting the participants.

The Training Course on Computer-Based Data Management for AEWs focused on essential computer knowledge and skills needed by AEWs, particularly those involved in preparing reports and presentations for rice and other key commodities. Topics included organizing computer data files, finding lost files and folders, working with compressed and zipped folders, basic computer and data storage troubleshooting, and the more commonly used computer programs, particularly MS Excel, PowerPoint and Word.

As requested by specific participants, the discussions also highlighted formulas for computer-automated figuring out of typhoon damage, current age, and eligibity of a variable such as personal income for a loan or grant.

Zoilus Aurelius Ruiz, Information Technology Specialist of TESDA-RTC V, served as resource person who expertly steered the lecture, discussions and participants’ computer hands-on. During post-training evaluations, the young trainer whom participants described as effective,

►page 6

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – Another batch of training on Computer-Based Data

Management (CBDM) was successfully held in this city which was participated in by 25 agricultural extension workers (AEWs) and 4-H Club members.

The CBDM training aimed to present the e-Extension Program focusing on its e-Learning and the Farmers’ Contact Center, the AEWs website and 4-H Club web portal. The participants explored the e-Learning portal and activated their profile at

the AEWs and 4-H Club databases correspondingly. Furthermore, the participants were taught on how to maximize the internet by searching information in the web and browsing relevant agricultural websites.

To ensure maximum learning, some lecture and hands-on exercises were applied while hand-outs were likewise distributed to reinforce the learning-teaching process.

The activity was held last August 24 to 26, 2011 at the ATI-Regional Training Center 7 complex. (MPSoliva)

CBDM for Bohol AEWs and the Youth

AEWs are important link in the development loop as

disseminators of agricultural information to various end-users. Thus they need to be competent in using various

electronic tools.


Snapshots

A delegation of Researchers from Indonesia Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD)

visited the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and was briefed on ATI’s programs and services, including its e-Extension Program for Agriculture and Fisheries. The delegation was composed of Dr. Wiwik Hartatik, Dr. Yayan Apriyana and Arif Surahman of IAARD. The briefing was held last November 21, 2011 at the Agriculture and Fisheries Knowledge Center, Compulab, ATI Central Office, Diliman, Quezon City.

DILIMAN, Quezon City – The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) conducted a training-workshop on updating the

ATI Centers’ websites titled “ATIiNteractive Revamp: Drupal 7 Theming for ATI Centers’ Websites.”

Using Drupal 7 as its Content Management System (CMS), the 40 webmasters from ATI Training Centers updated their own center websites and used a unifying theme for all the ATI-RTC sites.

The webmasters were divided into two groups where the first batch of the training-workshop was held last Novemebr 6 to 11 at the Garden Oases Resort and Convention Center, Davao City while the second batch was held last November 14 to 18, 2011 at the Compulab of the Agriculture and Fisheries Knowledge Center at the ATI Central Office, Diliman, Quezon City.

ATI, TESDA Team Up...From page5

I am thankful for I am one of the students who were chosen to attend the training on e-Extension. It is a worthwhile experience. We were able to know the characteristics of extension workers after we have enrolled in the EDS online course. Thank you. We met our expectations in the course and the facilitators. KUDOS! - Joel Divina, Isabela

Thank you very much, now I am already done with my course “Seed to Seed Online Course on corn production” and I’ve gain a lot of knowledge on it. - Wilver Cabalbag, Burgos Pangasinan

I really did not expect that students like us are part of the clients of ATI. Thank you for including us in the training on e-Extension, it’s a nice experience. - Maridel Galicia, Tumauini, Isabela

Bringing e-learning to NIPSC Batad Campus is an opportunity and big help to our B.S. Agriculture students. Thank you so much, ATI!- Eva Montero, Batad, Iloilo

What our e-Learners say

versatile and approachable, readily answered varied questions from the trainees on topics ranging from computer programs to hardware maintenance.

The training course also focused on online searching and correspondence, as well as Philippine agriculture-allied websites, particularly the e-Extension Program, e-Learning, and the AEW Database.

Overall, the participants sized up the course as very satisfactory, very

relevant, and very comprehensive. They said all topics were useful and interesting.

Immersed in their locality, AEWs have access to a great volume of agricultural data at the barangay, municipal, city, and provincial levels. They are important link in the development loop as disseminators of agricultural information to various end-users. Thus they need to be competent in using various electronic tools, including computers and internet, to efficiently share data and information. (PBImperial)

Start your very own swine enterprise by Mastering

the ABCs of Pig Production! The online Course on

Swine Management is now available, enroll at

www.e-extension.gov.ph/elearning


ATI Webmasters Gathered to Revamp ATIiNteractive Site

NEWS

DILIMAN, Quezon City –Recognizing the continuous and rapid evolution of

Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) recently gathered its pool of webmasters to revamp its corporate website, including those of its network of ATI Training Centers.

Since the inception of the ATIiNteractive, the official website of the ATI, the Drupal 6 has been used as its Content Management System (CMS) and with the introduction of Drupal 7, considering its user-friendly interface, the ATI web team worked on to give their corporate websites a new look.

A total of 40 designated webmasters from the ATI Regional Training Centers (ATI-RTC) were divided into two batches for the training-workshops dubbed as “ATIiNteractive Revamp: Drupal 7 Theming for ATI-Center Websites.” The activity aimed to have consistency and uniformity through all of the ATI Network of Training Center’s websites.

Specifically, the webmasters streamlined menu links for all ATI Centers, updated compendium of available Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials at the ATI Centers, new uploaded contents such as videos and presentation materials and enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) content for more web visibility.

ATI Director Asterio P. Saliot noted some of the possible opportunities

the website can bring. “With the new updated websites I hope that it will showcase your Center’s programs and services,” he said. “Also, I would like to see these websites as a way for the Centers to be more transparent which is in support of the government’s initiative in transparency and governance,” Saliot added.

Some topics that were discussed during the training were: current status of ATI sites, enumeration and discussion of some good practices from the ATI Centers, and working on Drupal 7 as well as updating to a new theme.

The first batch of the training-

workshop was held last November 6 to 11 at the Garden Oases Resort and Convention Center, Davao City while the second batch was gathered last November 14 to18, 2011 at the AFKC Compulab, ATI Bldg., Diliman, Quezon City. (BCNatividad)


A Pile to Smile About

e-Extension for AFE Kicks into Fifth gear; Program Review and Planning Workshop Held

MANILA – The e-Extension Program for Agriculture and Fisheries can consider 2011

a banner year.With 25 e-Learning courses

offered, almost 10,000 registered users in the e-learning site coupled with 5,624 enrollees and 3,572 graduates, the e-Extension Program truly had a successful year in 2011.

Deeming the importance of evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency in implementing the e-Extension Program especially for the past calendar year, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) held the 5th e-Extension Program Review & Planning Workshop titled “Hi-5 for 2012.”

Twenty-one selected e-Extension coordinators from ATI Training Centers attended the review and planning workshop. The activity aimed to update the coordinators on the e-Extension Program, Techno Gabay Program, as well as other activities such as School-on-the-Air, Farmers’ Contact Center (FCC) and the NMRiceMobile. Likewise, the planning workshop served as a way for the coordinators to prepare their Work and Financial Plan (WFPs) for 2012 and 2013.

Alberto B. Maningding, ATI’s Deputy Director for AFE Operations observed the importance of reviewing last year’s targets and accomplishment as it will “pave way

for your next targets for the years 2012 and 2013.” “And with a large chunk of the Department of Agriculture’s budget going to research and extension it is just right to plot your activities this year,” Maningding added.

The Workshop was held at the Bayview Park Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Manila last January 4 to 7, 2012. (BCNatividad)

On September 9, 2011, I attended the joint meeting of the Region Eight Applied

Communications Task Force (REACTF) and the Regional Management Information System-Core Group (RMIS-CG) of the Visayas Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Program. Part of the discussion is the upcoming silver anniversary and debut of the REACTF and RMIS-CG, respectively, in June 2012.

Dr. Wolfreda T. Alesna who presided the meeting, shared how both groups started and how we become what we are at present. She also told us that ever since she was appointed the RACO coordinator and formed the REACTF, she gladly accepted the additional workload and saw it as a challenge to improve further her knowledge and skills. She has enjoyed the work, saying that "If you love your work, it is not work anymore. It becomes a hobby."

This brought me to a very similar situation in our Center, where we are loaded with more work because of more extension activities to accomplish. I then realized that attitude matters whenever we are given extra loads.

As e-Extension Coordinators, we have to promote the program and conduct several extension activities to this end. With the institutionalization of the Techno Gabay Program to the ATI, another workload has been added to us (though we don't call it as workload but 'added functionality'). These "add-ons" to our regular functions make us feel overload.

So how can you love a work that makes you feel overloaded? Some call it toxic. Ma'am Freda provided the answer when she said, "For every pile of work at your table you should smile, because that means you are still needed."

The feeling of being needed is something that no one can ignore. Indeed, it is a pile that you can smile about. (DBRBaltazar)

From the view of an e-Extension Coordinator