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Digital Inclusion

Government rolls-out IT centres for farmers in the Philippines

By Pia Rufino | 28 April 2011

The Philippines local government units and a regional research and development consortia has already opened 46 IT centres in the Cordillera Administrative Region(CAR) to make access to agricultural information easier for the farmers.

The provincial government and the Highland Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (HARRDEC) early this year have launched the 46th Farmers Information Technology Services (FITS) centre in the province Kalinga.

Funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), FITS centres are established in different provinces in the country serving as one-stop service facility for farmers.

PCARRD, under the Department of Science and Technology also funds ICT grants for farmers for its Techno Gabay (guide) project.

Dr. Teresita Mangili, Regional Techno Gabay Program coordinator, said FITS centres gives the majority of farmers, entrepreneurs, and other clients fast access to IT.

“TGP is the banner programme of the PCARRD designed to bring science-based information and technology services to farmer beneficiaries.”

According to Mangili, the four component modalities of the programme are FITS Center, Magsasaka Siyentista (Farmer Scientist) and Science and Technology-Based Farm, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Strategies, and ICT.

The Magsasaka Siyentista(MS) refers to an outstanding farmer manifested with the success of his science and technology-based farm project.

IEC strategies, on the other hand, involve research-based and need-based communication processes which aim to accelerate the adoption of technologies by FITS and MS clients.

ICT facilitates information storage, retrieval and exchange that can provide immediate response to current problems and frequently asked questions concerning farm technologies.

Mangili urged the municipal agriculturists, farmers, entrepreneurs, and barangay officials to take advantage of the FITS and use it to stay updated on the latest farm technologies.

She likewise encouraged all municipalities in the province to put up their local FITS for a better coordination and to encourage local farm researchers develop home-grown farm technologies.

Benguet, Mount Province, and Ifugao are among those with established FITS centres in the region.

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