“Extension Is Not That Important In Philippine Agriculture” – And That Is The Wrong Attitude! – Frank A Hilario
I say: “Extension is making known new or revised scientific
knowledge elsewhere it was not discovered or deciphered.” Here is rare news labeled
“extension,” by Paul Jersey G Leon from
the Philippine Council for Agriculture,
Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD): “Bringing
Hope To Conflict-Vulnerable Communities In Mindanao Through Agricultural
Extension” (14 Jan 2022, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services, PCAARRD.dost.gov.ph).
It is based on the paper presented by Emma
Ruth V Bayogan of UP Mindanao on 29 Nov 2021.
Old, but quite relevant to scientific Research, Development & Extension,
where Extension is an area of science I note has been much neglected:
An alternative
agricultural extension model has been giving a ray of hope to six
conflict-vulnerable, geographically isolated, and disadvantaged communities in
South Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Zamboanga Sibugay. This was the highlight of
the paper, “Giving Farmers Uwen Fananafedew: Improving Agricultural Extension
Policy In Conflict-Vulnerable Areas Through The Livelihood Improvement Through
Facilitated Extension (LIFE) Model,” which was implemented by the team of Dr
Emma Ruth V Bayogan of the University of the Philippines Mindanao.
“Science is not a substitute
for common sense, but an extension of it” – Willard
Van Orman Quine.
I
especially note the qualification “alternative agricultural extension model” –
I am thinking right now of the DA’s agency Agricultural
Training Institute (ATI) whose model of extension has been truncated to
simply training: Unfortunately!
Above, the LIFE Model of Extension was jointly implemented
by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia;
LandCare Foundation of the Philippines, University of the Philippines Mindanao,
University of the Philippines Los Baños, and DoST.
(The LIFE Model is) an
agro-enterprise development program hinged on facilitating farmers’ access to
technical innovations, building community social capital, and collaborating
effectively with local institutions through facilitated extension.
The
LIFE Model has been giving more than “a ray of hope to the conflict-vulnerable
communities” as Mr Leron puts it; it has been simplifying farmers’ access to
technical innovations, helping build social networks, and overall facilitating
the collaboration of local institutions – all for the farmers’ common benefits.
“Facilitated extension” means “holding the hands of.” I say, if it is not
facilitated, it’s not extension!
The project started in 2013 in 3 sites: Zamboanga Sibugay,
Maguindanao, and South Cotabato, and expanded to 10 sites in 2017.
According to (the UP
Mindanao report), the implementation of the LIFE Model helped improve farmers’
social capital as evidenced by their formation of farmers’ organizations,
development of trust and closer bonds with each other, and increased networks
and participation in community activities.
Nonetheless,
I believe the LIFE Model of Extension can be further facilitated for other
farmer groups in the Philippines by DoST by creating a pertinent “Digital
Library of Extension” – facilitating searching, exploring. I would be glad to
facilitate that!@517
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