Being the bearer of the flagship programs of the University, the College of Agriculture and Forestry (CAF) had been incessant in their pursuit of extending life-changing assistance in forms of trainings and technology-transfer to farmers within the University’s reservation area.
Recently, another batch of farmer-trainees have successfully completed their 16-week training on Season-long Farmers’ Field School (FFS) on Organic Crops and Livestock Production, which was concluded through a graduation ceremony held last September 15, 2021 at Mt. Ballo Hall, CPSU Main Campus, Kabankalan City.
These farmer-trainees were the Lucay-Bantolinawon Small Scale Farmers’ Association (LUBUSFA) with 34 members, and the Matanguilon-Badjang Farmers’ Association (MABAFA) with 23 farmer members.
Part of the training was the needs assessment survey within their community wherein the LUBUSFA members were provided with a free training and installation of a solar-powered water pumping system for small irrigation and household use. Meanwhile, for the MABAFA, ten (10) of their members were also given a free training and installation of household-based designing of Solar Home System. They were also provided with a water hose that stretched from their source in the river right to their area.
Prof. Maryvic Pedrosa, the CAF extension coordinator and Director for Production and Enterprise Development Office, stated that this ceremony marks another success of the college as it lobbies the advocacies of the University through various sustainable farming practices to improve their way of living.
“Serving as instruments in bringing the initiatives of the University on the ground, we make sure that our assistance are felt by the farmers leading to transformed lives of these underserved sectors of the community,” Prof. Pedrosa said.
She further explained that this community engagement is part of the strategies of the University to promote organic farming in the entire CPSU reservation area.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Aladino Moraca, CPSU President, stated that the direction of the University is to help farmers in expediting and increasing their access to economic opportunities through agri-related technical capacity development. This way, poverty in the countryside will be decreased.
“The only trade-off that the University asks is for everyone to take serious commitment in protecting and conserving the surrounding resources and forest patches within the University’s reservation area,” Dr. Moraca explained.
This is the winning strategy of the University to best combat forest denudation and environment degradation especially in its protected area by partnering with the locals to assist the University in keeping watch and in safeguarding the environment with the help of the residents themselves.
Also present during the said event were Vice-Mayor Raul Rivera and the City Agriculturist Sir Ricky Moscosa, of the City of Kabankalan, Dr. Dina Genzola, the OIC Provincial Agriculturist who spoke on behalf of Gov. Bong Lacson, VP for Admin and Finance Dr. Marc Alexei Caesar Badajos, VP for Research and Extension Dr. Mae Flor Posadas, the Brgy. Camingawan captain, Hon. Rico Regalia, Mr. Ariel Guides, the President of Alter Trade Foundation who pledged to provide banana planting materials for these farmers, and the former CAF dean Dr. Salvador Castor, Jr., along with the rest of the CAF instructors.
By: J.A. Emoy
Photo credits: M. Pedrosa