The Eskwelahan sa Kahanginan on Organic Agriculture was launched recently in three radio stations in Negros Occidental to educate farmers in the new technologies of organic farming and the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.

Edna Garde, manager of the Farmers’ Information and Technology Services Center, said the radio programs are aired in DYVS at 4:30a.m.-5:30a.m. Mondays to Fridays, DYRL at 4:30a.m.-5:30a.m. and 6p.m.-7p.m. on Sundays, and Radyo Natin in Sipalay City at 11a.m. every Monday.The concept is an on-air school where farmers have to enrol or enlist with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist through their field coordinators. They will be given materials and handouts to study, Garde said.

All farmer-students will listen to the program where quizzes and examinations will be given on-air. They will be provided with answer sheets that will be collected by the field coordinators, she also said.

The program will run for four months and at the graduation, OPA will award top farmer-students with exemplary performance, Garde  added.

“This is much like of typical school but the only difference is that they only listen it on-air,” take part with,  she said, adding that this is their strategy to enhance the advocacy of the provincial government on organic agriculture.

Negros Occidental is also the first province and local government unit to have this kind of program, shesaid.

The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center VI funded the program while the province and the OPA provided educational materials for the farmers, Garde added.

Garde also said they still accept enrolees for the program  that is open to allinterested in organic farming. No fees will be  collected, she said.*LTG

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