19 Jun Training of Trainers
Over the last three years, the number of farmers wishing to participate in the Cordillera Heirloom Rice Project has grown. In order to help farmers increase and improve their production of heirloom rice, RICE Inc. is working to increase the number of knowledgeable inspectors available to work within their villages.
On June 9-11, 2009, RICE, Inc. conducted a Training of Trainers for quality control inspectors. A total of thirty-one farmer-inspectors and agriculture technicians, most of whom had previously been certified quality control inspectors, participated in this first Training of Trainers. Attending were 19 farmers, 9 agri-technicans and 3 provincial level agriculture officers. Eight municipalities and four provinces, including a full team from Benguet Province!, were represented at the training.
Participants in the ToT workshop
The three-day workshop was made possible by funding from the Cordillera Heirloom Rice Project’s partners: RICE Inc, the Agriculture Training Institute–Cordillera Region (ATI-CAR), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA-CAR), and the local government units (LGUs) of the provincial and municipal agriculture offices.
The training module used was based on the 6 “Ps”:
1. PROJECT BACKGROUND- Inspectors must know the background of the project; the vision/mission and the goals; and how those principles are being carried out.
2. PRODUCT- Inspectors must understand that the focus on the characteristics of the heirloom rice is based on the findings/research done by the market.
3. PROCESS- Inspectors must understand the different activities needed to carry out the production of quality product and which activities support and validate the quality control standards..,i.e.-from selection of acceptable seed/variety; harvesting-drying-milling to storage.
4. PEOPLE- Manpower is as crucial as the product to the success of this project. This project is firmly rooted in the values, skills and knowledge of the farmers. The trainers must understand the role of every stakeholder –farmers, inspectors, LGUs, operators and the cooperatives– that supports the whole engine of the enterprise.
5. PARTNERS- The project and the stakeholders can not stand alone without collaborating with local government units, agriculture offices on all levels, as well as other agencies that work in tandem with agriculture sectors: PhilRice; ATI-DA-RFU; NIA and BPRE,
6. PLAN- At the end of the three day seminar, farmers and all stakeholders developed a plan and set a date for follow through on the agreements that are made in order to comply with the quality “P’s”…production, process, partners and the people involved.
Information was presented through power point presentations, pictures taken over the past years of project development, and demonstration teaching. At the end of each module, participants were required to lead a small workshop.
Participants in action
Vicky Garcia, who developed the training, was the lead facilitator. She was assisted during the demonstration-teaching segment by members of RICE Inc.’s Board of Directors, Debbie Achawon and Angel Opiana, and by Jovy Camso from OPAG.