The LSA is required to pay back the given financial as-

sistance in case the 5 year period is not suffice as per MOA.

Responsibilities of the Agricultural Training Insti-

tute

Conduct ocular inspection of the site Assist in the preparation of the development plan of the

site by providing the parameters or may prepare such particularly for direct ATI-identified LSA

Evaluate and approve the development plan Provide assistance, in cash or in kind or both based on

the approved development plan, the amount of which shall not exceed the authorized amount indicated in the guideline

Monitor the implementation of the 5-yr development plan

Arrange with the LSA scheduled ATI activities to be con-ducted at the site

Pay the costs incurred for ATI-organized activities con-ducted at the site such as meals and snacks, honorarium for services rendered as resource person and other di-rect costs on a per activity basis, subject to government accounting and auditing rules

Document and package the best practices/technologies of the LSA

Provide capability building interventions for the contin-uing enhancement of the LSA owner

Assist the LSA owner in acquiring competency certifi-cate from TESDA

Conduct annual monitoring and evaluation (every two years) of the LSA

Conformed: ____________________________________________ Signature over Printed Name Name of Farm:________________________________ ____________________________________________ Date: _______________________________________

Procedure to become an LSA

Step 1: Farmer/Processor will submit letter of intent

to ATI-RTC X with endorsement from the Mu-

nicipal Agriculturist/Provincial Agriculturist/

City Agriculturist addressed to:

MARIA LYDIA A. ECHAVEZ TCS I/OIC-Center Director Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training Center X El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental Step 2: Orientation of the prospective LSA

Step 3: Accomplishment of the Farm/Processors Pro-

file Form and submit to ATI together with the

following copy of:

Land Ownership/Memorandum of Under-

standing (MOU) for the use of the land for

five years

Latest farm picture

Certificates of trainings attended

MOU/certification for DA support

Step 4: The ATI will table evaluate the documents sub-

mitted. The LS will be informed about the

results.

Step 5: If qualified, the applicant will be informed

about the schedule of the farm field valida-

tion/ocular inspection. Applicants not ready

will be given recommendations and will be re-

evaluated until the farm will qualify.

Step 6: The Farmer will prepare and submit a Five (5)-

Year Farm Development Plan.

Step 7: The Farmer will sign the LSA Acceptance Form

Step 8: Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be

executed between the LSA and ATI. The term

of the MOA is for a period of five (5) Years.

Step 9: The ATI-RTC will endorse the application with

all the necessary documents to ATI-Central

Office for LSA Accreditation.

Step 10: Issuance of LSA Certificate and signage from

the ATI Central Office.

LEARNING SITE FOR AGRICULTURE

BRIEFER

Overview

A farm practicing applicable agricultural technolo-

gies, employing doable farming strategies and oper-

ating successfully, thus worthy of emulation.

The farmer/ farm family owner is relatively ad-

vanced compared to the rest of the farmers.

The LSA also include a successful agri-products/ by-

products processing enterprise owned by a proces-

sor who is not necessarily a farmer/farm family.

As a basic principle, after the farm is accredited, the

farm will become the school and the owner will be-

come the teacher.

Basic requirements

The Farm

The farm is integrated and diversified, a specialized farm

producing a specific commodity in sizable volume (e.g.

mango farm, cacao farm, dragon fruit farm, corn farm, root

crops farm, goat farm, etc.) or a farm demonstrating a spe-

cial technology

With basic techno demo farm facilities/processing facili-

ties and equipment

With holding area, wash Area (Good water source/

potable), and comfort rooms (Male and Female)

Accessible by land and other transportation facilities

The farm can be any of the following: Privately-owned farm (farmer’s farm, NGO farm, PO

farm)

RBO-owned/operated farm

Demonstration farm duly owned and operated by the

ATI as an institution

Demonstration farm duly owned and operated by the

Department of Education (DepEd) as an institution

For LGU agriculture office- operated farms, it shall be

proposal-based.

THE FARM/PROCESS OWNER

1. The farm owner may be any of the following:

- Graduate of ATI’s training courses/programs

relevant to the operation of a Learning Site

for Agriculture

- Magsasaka Siyentista (MS)

- Member of Rural Based Organizations (4-H,

RIC, P4MP, IP organization and other farm-

ers associations/organizations; cooperatives)

or the whole organization as one

- Recipient of DA family support

- Private farmers/farm families interested

- Recipient of awards from credible institutions

(e.g. Gawad Saka, Rice, Corn and Cassava

Achievers Award, TOFARM, etc.)

2. The farmer/farm family/processor serve as Re-

source Person/source of technology

3. Willing to demonstrate applicable technologies

and farming strategies/agri-products/by-

products processing techniques and skills

4. Successful in farming/as entrepreneur

5. Main actor in the operation of the enterprise, not

just the farm/business owner

6. Is a leader or is respected in the community

7. With potentials for further enhancement

8. Is healthy, physically and mentally fit to perform

the responsibilities of LSA

9. Not more than 60 years old, unless still physical-

ly and mentally fit (submit medical certificate)

10. A Filipino citizen residing in the country

11. DepEd/LGUs/Government official/employees

cannot avail the financial assistance. They can

only avail technical assistance.

FOR DepEd/ATI OWNER

- With a staff assigned to maintain the farm/

processing facility

- With a staff assigned to demonstrate farm/

processing technologies for the clients at any

given time

Functions of the LSA

Practicum area to complement classroom learning;

Venue for practical and hands-on learning for immediate

use;

Visit area for other farmers, other rural community mem-

bers, ATI’s training participants and others interested in

agriculture and agri-products/ by-products processing; and

On-the-job training (OJT) site for ATI’s scholarship program

grantees, its other programs such as the “Adopt a Farm

Youth Program” under the 4-H Farm Youth Program, and

interested agriculture students and individuals

Responsibilities of the LSA

Prepare and submit the development plan immediately

after acceptance to become LSA

Provide counterpart in the development of the site

Implement the development plan as approved and com-

plete such on the required time frame

Make available his/her/their farm/processing enterprises

as demonstration area for hands-on learning

For the farm, practice diversified and integrated farming

system or specialized commodity farming sizable volume

of production/a specialized technology

For the processing enterprise, process agri-products/by-

products

Orient/lecture on-site training participants, visiting

groups, ATI’s scholarship grantees, 4-H youth trainees and

other groups arranged by the ATI

Attend ATI-required capability building interventions

Maintain farm record: production and sales data, technolo-

gies developed/shared, farm/processing enterprise activi-

ties undertaken, visitors and trainees served, other rele-

vant accomplishments

Submit semestral accomplishment report every 5th day of

the first month of the next quarter. Indicate the technolo-

gies developed, clients served (logbook), status of 5 year

farm development plan implementation and submit a com-

pletion report after

Submit liquidation report of financial assistance within 30

days after completion of the proposed project (if applica-

ble)