The Agricultural Training Institute in the Caraga Region (ATI-13) provided a technology boost worth PHP4,600,000 to the various Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) centers in the area as of July this year. The aid is part of ATI’s ‘Techno Gabay Program’ (TGP) to provide information and technology services in agriculture, fishery, forestry, and natural resources. ‘The FITS centers serve as info hubs in municipalities where our farmers and fisherfolk can source the needed information on agriculture and fishery technologies,” Fil Victor Babanto, ATI-13 information office chief, said in a phone interview on Monday. As of August this year, the region has 46 existing FITS centers which received PHP100,000 in financial support from ATI-13, “intended to boost the information, education, and communication campaigns at the municipal levels on agriculture and fishery technologies,’ Babanto said. FITS centers are located in Agusan del Sur. Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands. At least PHP2.2 million was released to 38 Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSA) centers in various towns across Caraga earlier this month. The LSA centers serve as onsite learning facilities for farmers and fisherfolk in different villages. ‘The LSAs allow our farmers and fisherfolk to directly learn new technologies at the barangay levels. The ATI-13, as of Aug. 1, has provided PHP60,000 support each to these LSAs,’ Babanto said. He said various forms of assistance were also given recently to FITS centers in the region to enhance their information dissemination drive. ‘At least five FITS centers were provided with PHP150,000 enhancement support since July this year through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund of the Department of Agriculture,’ Babanto said

Source: Philippines News Agency