The Agricultural Training Institute in Region 1 (ATI-RTCI) hailed PhilRice Batac as one of the awardees in the Sambayanang Itinataguyod ang Kaalamang Agrikultura at Pangisdaan (SIKAP) in recognition of the station’s long-standing support to the agency’s projects and activities in line with agriculture development.
PhilRice Batac Acting Branch Director, Dr. Mary Ann U. Baradi said the award was one of the few bestowed to a government agency, which is a member of the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Extension Network (RAFEN).
“We are very active in co-implementing the projects and activities that benefit our farmers,” Dr. Baradi added.
One of the contributions of PhilRice Batac in enhancing partnership with ATI-RTC 1 was its active participation in the implementation of the on-going convergence project in Brgy. Sto. Nino, Nueva Era, the site that the station led in the season-long training on rice production and establishment of techno-demo and variety trial on rice and vegetables. Each RAFEN member agency in Ilocos Norte implements its own projects and promotes production technologies to uplift the quality of life of the community.
The partnership between PhilRice and ATI is further strengthened with the implementation of the Rice Business Innovation System (RiceBIS). ATI led in the implementation of the Farm Business School at Brgy. Rayuray, City of Batac and at the expansion site this year in Brgy. Talugtog, Solsona, Ilocos Norte.
PhilRice Batac also provided resource persons on rice production and climate change in the school-on-the-air (SOA) program of ATI and Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) over DWFB Radio Pilipinas in Laoag City.
In the previous SIKAP awards, ATI included local government units in Region 1. This year, the agency included the outstanding partner-agencies of the RAFEN. This is the first time PhilRice Batac received the award.
