City farmers learn digital agriculture

CEBU, Philippines — Around 40 representatives from farmer’s groups in Cebu City are working towards incorporating digitalization into their livelihood by recently completing the Digital Farmer’s Program (DFP) conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The entire program is aimed at capacitating the farmers in embracing modernization and digitalization, as well as increasing their technological literacy.

The DFP has a “ladderized” education approach in helping farmers make better farming decisions, and also providing access to more market opportunities, as well as increasing their livelihood and income.

According to the City’s Information Office, the farmer-participants were taught on how to use the basic digital tools for their agricultural activities through the use of their smartphones. These activities include posting products on Facebook marketplace, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and other social media platforms.

The event was conducted by DA’s Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) in partnership with the Cebu City Resource Management and Development Center (CREMDEC), PLDT SMART and Foodlink Advocacy Cooperative.

Foodlink Advocacy Cooperative(FAC) teamed up with PLDT SMART for support, in terms of capacitating the farmers through their farm tech package consisting of a tablet, smartphone, a Smart Bro pocket wifi with Smart Prepaid load cards, a flash drive containing multimedia learning resources and apps, speakers among others.

“Now that we have laid down the foundations for this, the idea is if we really want to make this successful, I would actually encourage other institutions to do a follow through for it to keep on going,” said Anton Simon Palo, general manager FAC and Collaborating Institution of IVC Philippines.

PLDT SMART, for its part, familiarized the farmers in smartphone features, search engines, social media platforms, messaging channels, and a lot more.

“At least makahibalo sila sa world of e-commerce, digital payments and how to use social media in marketing their products and hopefully maka add sa ilang panginabuhian,” said Marylou Gocotano,

Visayas Regional Head of PLDT SMART Stakeholder Management Team.

Following the completion of around 40 farmer representatives from different groups in Cebu City, City Agriculturist Joey Baclayon hopes to also increase food production in the city.

Baclayon emphasized the importance of empowering farmers, including in the so-called digital agriculture.

“It is important that we empower our farmers to take advantage of digital agriculture to further increase their productivity and income to achieve its goals in attaining food security but of course food safety as well. Kinahanglan, safe ang produce sa farmers especially ang gikaon sa consumers,” Baclayon said.

Back in June 10, 2024, acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, representing the Cebu City government through CREMDEC, entered into a memorandum of understanding with Foodlink Advocacy Co-operative to establish a Technical Advisory Group to achieve the desired outcome of the project.

It was then found out that farmers face many challenges when managing cash resources and time.

However, despite these difficulties, the farmers reportedly aspire to live in a decent and comfortable environment where they can obtain food on their table, send their children to school, stay healthy and generate a good income. The results of the studies have been validated and accepted by farmers. — (FREEMAN)