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Impact Assessment of Philrice Season-Long Rice Specialists Training Courses (RSTC)


The impacts of the season-long Rice Specialists Training Courses on Agrikulturang Makamasa (AM), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and Hybrid Rice Production were assessed. Specifically, the project determined the outputs of the RSTC in terms of changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and role performance of the agricultural technologists and on the farmers’ rice production practices. Moreover, it assessed the impact of the RSTC on the rice farmers in terms of their economic (productivity, cost savings, and profit), social, political development, and environmental consciousness, and drew out implications of the RSTC program on other aspects of rice production and training management. A total of 290 respondents composed of 41 trainees, 6 non-trainees; 46 participants of training of trainers (TOT), 85 trainee-assisted farmers (TAF), and 132 TOT assisted farmers (TOTAF) from Nueva Ecija, Camarines Sur, Agusan Del Sur, Davao, Iloilo, and Cebu. Key informants from work organizations and supervisors of trainees were also interviewed. The regions and provinces where the respondents came were chosen based on yield and area of production. Descriptive statistics and t- test were used to analyze the data. The opportunity given to trainees to attend the RSTC on AM has definitely made them confident agents of change. They were retooled primarily with new knowledge and skills about hybrid rice technology (HRT) and IPM, and have better attitude toward HRT, their work and their farmer clientele. The new learnings and skills of the trainees have trickled down to fellow workers and to the farmers whom they had direct contact with. Trainers’ trainings and other forms of technical assistance, IEC materials, and accessing their farmer-clienteles to institutional sources of production loans were extended. Linkages with other agencies were established that enabled them to undertake activities and projects with their clientele. The RSTC on AM had also empowered the farmers who are willing to be actively involved in the planning, implementing and evaluation of government programs in their community. The RSTC on IPM enhanced the knowledge and skills of the trainees on IPM and other rice production practices. The effects of RSTC among ATs differed by location. Changes in knowledge, skills and attitudes and work performance were more pronounced in Nueva Ecija than in other provinces. Nevertheless, the ATs from other provinces could further improve their performance if given sufficient support. RSTC trainees were dynamic and very effective change agents. Majority of the ATs surpassed their targets with more than 100 percent accomplishments in the conduct of trainers training, techno demo, farmers classes, and technical briefings on rice technology. Hence, other technologists and farmers were also benefited indirectly by RSTC through the trained ATs. Their knowledge and skills on IPM were enhanced. Control of pest and diseases among farms was generally of integrated approach with the use of chemicals as the last resort. Other ATs attended the hybrid rice production training that enhanced their knowledge and skills on hybrid rice that also trickled down to the farmer-clienteles and co-workers. Farmers’ knowledge on hybrid rice production learned from the trainees and the TOT had influenced the adoption of the HR technology of some farmers. Although only a few farmers were adopters, the partial adopters have made modifications in their conventional production practices based on the “new” information imparted to them by the ATs.

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