Agri-10 through AMIA with BAR spearheads a training-workshop on iFARM.

 

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10), in collaboration with the Bureau of Agricultural Research-iFARM recently conducted a two-day training workshop on the Integrated Farm Attribution for Risk and Resources Monitoring and Management (iFARM) at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan here.

The activity was held in partnership with the local governments of Malaybalay City and the province of Bukidnon, barangay officials and corn farmer representatives from barangays Managok, San Jose, and Can-ayan, in said locality.

The iFARM information system is designed to enhance the agriculture sector’s capabilities in data collection and information management through the provision of comprehensive, timely, and up-to-date information to facilitate efficient and informed decision-making.

“Importantly, the system aims to expedite the delivery of agricultural interventions to improve crop production and resource management on farms,” DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado underscored.

Serving as the resource speakers for the training workshop is Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture – 10 (AMIA-10) project leader Joel J. Gabo and some BAR-iFARM representatives from the Central Office, discussing a range of topics from the dashboard and analytics features, damage and losses component of iFARM, iFARM system verification for corn production areas, and decision support tools for data analysis.

Ensuing the lectures, a site validation was conducted in some of the project sites in barangays Canayan and San Jose, as the visit forms part of ensuring the accuracy and effectiveness of the iFARM system in actual field conditions.
Overall, the training participants were apprised on how to digitalize data gathering and monitoring, especially on how to maximize the use of the iFARM system, leveraging it for improved agricultural planning and management.

“Not only that the iFARM info system help accelerate the flow of information for policymaking and planning, but it also marks a significant step toward the advancement of digital agriculture in the region,” RED Collado added.

Further, the event is also aligned with the DA secretary’s three-year plan dubbed “Para sa Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas,” which targets to drum up mechanizing and modernizing the agriculture and fishery sector.# (AMIA)