(NAR) VOL. 19 NO. 2 / APRIL - JUNE 2008
2.1.1 DASECTION 3. Participation of the Local Government Units. The Local Government Units (LGUs) identified as program target areas, are encouraged to: 1) pass a resolution adopting the FSTP as a support strategy for agricultural and economic development through their Local Sanggunian; 2) conduct massive information campaign on the program at the barangay level through their respective Provincial, City and Municipal Agriculturists- 3) provide support in the packaging and marketing of the products of their trained farmers through agro-trade fairs and similar activities for which the needed resources may be taken from their annual allocation for agriculture development; 4) as participating LGUs at the provincial and municipal levels, designate FSTP coordinators who shall comprise the FSTP Management Team of the province; and, 5) As model LGUs, organize the FSTP Management Team to be responsible in the conduct of Replication Inception Workshop.
a) Institutionalize, through the Agricultural-Training institute (ATI), the FSTP as one of its extension approaches and ensure its successful implementation down to its intended beneficiaries;
b) Include in its annual budget proposal, separate funding for the FSTP implementation through the ATI;
c) Call on all national and local agencies, for technical, policy, information, resource assistance and support;
d) Initiate and conduct national and regional discussions and consultations relative to the objectives, policies and program of action for the implementation of FSTP throughout the country;
e) Initiate and enhance partnerships with private sectors, donor agencies and other external bodies;
f) Ensure that FSTP implementation at the grassroots will be a joint undertaking between the national government through ATI and the local government units (LGUs) through a cost sharing scheme;
g) Facilitate the transfer of farming technologies developed by DA-BAR and other R&D agencies to the FSTP beneficiaries;
h) Provide marketing and packaging assistance for farm products developed by trained farmers.
i) Designate regional staff to serve as coordinators and Regional Secretariat
2.1.2 DOST
a) Provide technical and financial support for R&D and technology transfer through the development of appropriate production technologies and extension modalities to be used by LGUs and their farmer-clientele;
b) Accept R&D proposals which will go through a specific evaluation and approval process on a competitive basis.
c) Provide technical assistance in the conduct of capability building and enhancement of FSTP implementation in the program areas;
d) Link the Techno Gabay Program through the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Centers with the FSTP; and
e) Through its regional offices, appoint R&D Coordinators for FSTP at the local level.
2.1.3 DAR
a) Assist in the identification of corn areas;
b) Provide technical and financial assistance in the conduct of capability building and enhancement programs for the beneficiaries;
c) Assist the program beneficiaries in the commercialization and marketing of corn products; and
d) Assist in the organizational strengthening of cooperatives.
2.1.4 DENR
a) Call upon all national and local agencies for technical, policy, information and resource assistance and support;
b) Initiate and conduct national and regional discussions and consultations relating to policies, objectives and programs of actions for sustainable upland
c) Review and translate specific recommendations into operational guidelines of national concern, programs and initiatives, key areas and themes in coordination with national and local agencies for sustainable upland development;
d) Initiate and enhance partnership and coordination with private sector groups, donor agencies and other relevant external bodies;
e) Provide assistance to the program beneficiaries in the packaging and marketing of products derived from the project areas including resource mobilization; and
f) Submit regular reports and updates to the Office of the President and other relevant agencies.
2.1.5 DILG
a) Issue Memorandum Circular on the nationwide promotion of the Farmer- Scientist Training Program (FSTP) at the local level;
b) Ensure proper coordination with the concerned local government units (LGUs) in the implementation of FSTP; and
c) Provide technical assistance to the FSTP mode! LGUs in the documentation of their success stories for social marketing and replication using the GO-FAR documentation template.
d) Capacitate the model LGUs on the mechanics of the conduct of the Replication Inception Workshop
2.1.6 CHED-SUCs
a) Assist in the coordination and implementation of the program in their areas of responsibility as defined in the FSTP Manual of Operation and Management;
b) Provide resource persons/experts to deliver lectures/demonstrations on topics related to the program;
c) Provide support funds from their R & Dand Extension units/programs; and
d) Direct SUCs to adopt FSTP in their agricultural extension program.
2.2 University of the Philippine Los Banos (UPLB). The UPLB, through the College of Forestry and Natural Resources shall facilitate the enhancement of science and extension curricula of FSTP in upland development while the UPLB, through the College of Agriculture shall:
a) Act as the FSTP National Center for Operation and Management, which shall be based at the Agricultural Systems Cluster's office;
b) Assist in the training of FSTP Coordinators from the national down to regional and provincial levels;
c) Provide technical expertise, and determine and exercise quality control of technologies adopted and applied by the program and support staff to enhance the operation of FSTP nationwide;
d) Assist in the transfer of farming technologies developed by UPLB through R & D projects like newly developed corn (OPVs/hybrids), high yielding seeds of fruits and vegetables, new organic fertilizers and other technologies;
e) Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the accomplishments of the program; and
f) Tap the support of other colleges/institutes/centers at the local level with technologies/expertise needed by FSTP.