Agricultural Training Institute, May 6 2011

DILIMAN, Quezon City -- Director Asterio P. Saliot of the DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) recently met with Executive Director Martha M. Hernandez of the TVET Systems Development Office of the Technology Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Mr. Ed dela Torre of the Secretary’s Technical Assistance Group (STAG-OSEC) in his bid to forge a partnership with TESDA in providing skills and competency certification for agriculture extension personnel and graduates of ATI training courses.

Saliot expressed his concern in providing better opportunities for the agricultural extension workers and how to ensure that ATI graduates apply the knowledge and skill they had acquired and translate these into profitable endeavors.

Since TESDA is one of the agencies cited in the Republic Act 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) to provide technology education and skills development of which skills and competency certification are the services the agency provides, Saliot sought its assistance in providing skills and competency certification for the DA's extension workers and the stakeholders who benefited from ATI training programs.

Hernandez welcomed the said initiative and committed to support and collaborate further with ATI particularly on the use of TESDA registered agriculture and fisheries schools for ATI technology training and technology demonstration. A technical working group from both parties will be formed to craft the memorandum of agreement and terms of reference of the partnership.

Once realized, thousands of farmers and extensions workers are expected to benefit from the skills and competency certification from TESDA. These include some 342 scholars who are expected to graduate in 2013 under the ATI Youth in Agriculture Scholarship Program and the scholars under the Farmer Field Schools across the country. In 2010 alone, ATI produced 72,668 graduates from the various training courses and support services it conducted. About 15,002 of which were agricultural extension workers and 35,210 were farmers. (Athena Agape B. Baguisi)

Source: ATI Sits Down With TESDA, Partnership in the Offing