The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) co-sponsored the recent 3rd Global Forum on Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) and 1st Asia Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (APIRAS) annual meetings held at the Heritage Hotel Manila in Pasay City.
GFRAS, whose mission is to provide advocacy leadership on pluralistic, demand-driven rural and agricultural advisory services within the global development agenda, envisions rural advisory services (RAS) effectively contributing to the sustainable reduction of hunger and poverty worldwide.
GFRAS provides a platform for dialogue among its member organizations involved in RAS development. Its member networks include the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services, Latin American Network for Rural Extension Services, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank, and APIRAS.
At the end of the meetings, suggested strategic actions forwarded to GFRAS included strengthening communication among members through the establishment of country focal groups and identifying national champions in RAS; creating awareness about GFRAS and APIRAS at the country level; sourcing seed money for capacity building; compiling case studies of innovative practices in extension and RAS; and developing practical tool kits for RAS in agricultural innovation systems.
PCAARRD, as an institutional member of the APIRAS network, will continue to closely collaborate with GFRAS in promoting RAS to improve farmers’ livelihood and welfare.
Aside from the meetings, ancillary activities and regional fora were also conducted.
One such activity was the field trip facilitated by PCAARRD to the Cavite State University Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center, Cavite Provincial FITS Center-Cavite Center of Agriculture for Farmers Production, and to a Science and Technology-based Farm (STBF) on coffee production project site.
Participants, especially from the African countries, commended Magsasaka Siyentista Teodoro dela Cruz for sharing his knowledge to the other coffee farmers through his STBF project. Most of them were also impressed by the local extension workers’ commitment to their jobs and the strong government support to extension and RAS in agricultural development.
Meanwhile at the APIRAS meeting, PCAARRD Technology Transfer and Promotion Division Director Melvin B. Carlos presented the Council’s programs and activities, particularly the Techno Gabay Program and the project on the development of new extension/RAS modalities in agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources.
Participating in the meeting were 150 local and international academicians, professionals, extension practitioners, students, partners in government and non-government institutions from 50 different countries, including corporate and farmers’ organizations.