IFSU holds training on rain-fed agriculture

(Repost from Sun.Star Baguio except image)

Friday, January 20, 2012

ICRISAT for 2020

THE Ifugao State University (Ifsu) conducted an in-country training course on Strengthening Rain-fed Agriculture Research, Development and Extension in the Cordilleras at the Ifsu Review Center on January 8–13.

This was in collaboration with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat), Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), and the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).

The training was participated by senior faculty and researchers of the State Universities and Colleges; Cordillera Administrative Region Research, Development, and Extension Consortium (SUCCARRDEC); senior researchers and staff of DA-Cordillera Field Unit; and provincial and municipal agriculturists of CAR.

Ifsu president Dr. Serafin L. Ngohayon expressed his appreciation and gratitude to Icrisat and DA-BAR for conceiving in-country and out-country training programs which will capacitate the people as agents in their own areas of responsibilities in improving and enhancing rain-fed agriculture.

He said the answer to food shortage crisis is an intensified and effective rain-fed agriculture.

Icrisat training coordinator Dr. Rosanna P. Mula asserted that the training is not meant to change the existing system in the region but to augment it to increase production.

“Part of our output is a plan on how to address problems in line with climate change. We have varieties of seeds that can survive in completely dry climate like El Niño,” Mula said.

Mula said the topics were anchored on Icrisat mandate crops such as chickpea, groundnut, pigeon pea, and sorghum with emphasis on seed system and existing faming system, community watersheds as a platform for integrating crops, livestock, and community participation and innovations in knowledge management and sharing.

Ched commissioner Dr. William Medrano said the training is meant to build ties, develop teamwork, and collaborate for a noble undertaking.

“In today’s complex problems and challenges, such as pervasive poverty, climate change negative impacts, food and energy crisis, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, population explosion and others, the need to join all efforts and collaborate is even much greater to become stronger to face head on and address all these in order to survive,” Medrano said.

Medrano said the country is predominantly rain-fed agriculture that covers three-fourth of the 10 million hectares of the cultivated area. He said these areas are vulnerable to recurring droughts, landslide, pest infestation, and soil degradation.

“It is in these areas where the poorest of the poor Filipinos live... I believe we can do so many great things especially when we collaborate or join our acts together,” Medrano said.

At the end of the training, participants came up with project proposals and subjected them to evaluation. (Jeremy Gawongna)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on January 20, 2012.