“Every time I eat in hotels and restaurants whenever there are fruits served I would ask them to get the seeds so I can bring it to the station for production”, said Felicitas M.Neturada chief of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Research Outreach Station (ROS) Iloilo during the farmers field day held in ROS Sta.Barbara,Iloilo,September 25,2019. Neturada urged the farmers to plant and produce more seeds.
Some 70 farmers from the municipalities of Badiangan,Janiuay,Maasin and Sta.Barbara,Iloilo were given corn seeds and planting materials of mango,chico,cashew and batuan grown in Iloilo ROS.
DA research stations serve as research production and training centers in the region. Aside from providing farmers quality planting materials it also promotes the adoption of farming technologies.
Romona Gonzaga a representative from the DA Office of the Assistant Secretary in the Visayas Hansel O.Didulo ,said that the farmers need three things to be successful in agriculture-technology,trainings,proper adoption of best practices and farmers’ positive attitude.
“If you work together, work will be much easier. Work as a cooperative so you could avail of the programs and services of DA from financing , machinery and insurance,” Gonzaga added.
DA also provided lectures and hands-on demo on plant propagation techniques, soy bean production and utilization and mushroom growing.
Farmers also toured the station’s vermicomposting facilities, propagation chamber, sorghum demo farm, green house, screen house nurseries, seed storage and tissue culture laboratory.
