Acd. Clare R. Baltazar
Professor Emeritus
University of the Philippines Los Baños
http://doi.org/10.57043/transnastphl.2001.5119
Abstract
With the aim of empowering farmers for socio-economic progress, the Farmer-Scientists Training Program demonstrated its effectiveness in changing the farmers’ outlook on life. The farmers gained confidence in making a business enterprise. Through their adoption of scientific methods and new technologies, they were able to increase their rice and corn production from 0.5–2.0 tons/ha before their training to 6.0 tons/ha. Through sales of their surplus rice, corn, vegetables, and other produce, the farmers generated an increased income of P100,000 or more per cropping season compared to their original income of about P6,000.
Improvements in the farmers’ quality of life are shown by their construction of new concrete houses to replace their old nipa huts and the purchase of refrigerators, TV sets, radios, motorcycles, and other home fixtures. Above all, they were able to support their children’s college education.
This innovative program produced not only a new breed of agricultural scientists who could conduct participatory R&D directly with the farmers on the latter’s farms but also a new breed of farmers who are technically equipped with scientific methods of farming and trained as community leaders and businessmen.
The program has also strengthened the research and extension capabilities of SCUs and LGUs to render better services to the farmers.