Bohol Guv to ATI: Accredit more ‘Agricultural Learning Sites’

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 17 (PIA) — In a bid to boost food security to keep Bohol afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Arthur Yap has asked the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Region 7 to lend more support to farming learning centers.

The governor has personally asked the Department of Agriculture’s ATI-7 in Bohol to accredit more agricultural learning sites, especially now that the crisis and home quarantine have pushed more families to focus their attention on backyard farming to supply their own food.

During the virtual meeting of the Strategic Communications Cluster of the Bohol Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-MEID), ATI-7 Regional Director and Training Center Superintendent Dr. Carolyn Mae Daquio said their office has accredited 19 Agricultural Learning Sites where people who are inclined to learn about new agricultural technologies can practice and learn.

Daquio said the accredited Agricultural Learning Centers are all operational farms strategically located in the three districts of Bohol and hold accreditation for three years.

Of these training centers, nine are from the first district, four in the second district, and six in the third district.

In the first district, accredited ATI-7 accredited Agricultural Learning Centers include five learning centers focused on Integrated Diversified Organic Farming (IDOF) based in public elementary and secondary schools like Manga National High School, San Isidro National High School, Eastern Cogon Elementary School, Dao Farmville of Dao Elementary School Dao District in Tagbilaran City, and Busao National High School of Busao Maribojoc.

Also accredited are IYAAH Eco Farm in San Isidro District, Tagbilaran City; Egay’s Farm of Bingag, Dauis; GreenThumb Farm of Sambog Corella which is into mushroom production; and Mayor Lucas Asotigue Permaculture Farm which is into Diversified Permaculture Farming in Triple Union, Catigbian.   

In Bohol’s second district, ATI-7 accredited Sikatuna National Agricultural High School of Sikatuna, Talibon; Ubay Stock Farm of Lumangog Ubay; Dagon sa Hoyohoy Farm of Babag, Dagohoy; and Teofil’s Garden of Camambugan, Ubay, all of which are into IDOF.

In the third district, ATI-7 accredited Jolit’s Farm of Cambacay Batuan; Oikos Place and Wellness Garden in Zamora, Bilar; JQL Organic Farm of Luyo Dimiao; Toting’s Farm of Lagtangan Sevilla; Mayana Upper Sampong Organic Farm of Sampong, Mayana, Jagna; and Labonite Family Farm of San Isidro, Pilar, also into IDOF.

After accreditation, should farm owners decide to showcase their farms into tourism areas, they may do so by applying for the same at the Department of Tourism.

If they can do that, aside from agricultural learners, their farms can also become areas for tourism.

Even then, the governor, who used to be the Secretary of Agriculture, asked the ATI to accredit more learning sites, especially when stay-at-home Boholanos who have enough time on their hands during the long stretch of community quarantines have taken a second look at food production and planting to grow their own food.

These people, especially those who would wish to learn more about farming technologies, can go to the accredited agricultural learning centers to practice. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)