A farmer’s learning site will be put up in the municipality of San Remigio through the assistance of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).

Rhea Dacallo, president of the Uswag Durog Farmers Association in Barangay Iguirindon, San Remigio, said in an interview Thursday they are very grateful for the PHP300,000 financial assistance from the ATI that will be used for the establishment of their farmer’s learning site.

The fund was turned over to the association by ATI director Eden de los Reyes last August 13.

She said the amount will be used to put up a structure made of bamboo in their one-hectare learning site in the town’s Barangay Iguirindon.

The learning site with a dormitory will serve as a venue for farmers to train on integrated diversified farming.

She also said their association, for two years, had been cultivating the private property in the said barangay upon permission from the owner.

“For the first cropping period, we plant rice hybrid and inbred palay seeds,” she said.

The first cropping covers months of May to September, which is a rainy season.

During the second cropping from October to December, they plant root crops such as peanuts, cassava, corn, and vegetables. They also plant palay that is good only for the consumption of their members.

She said they plan to plant mushroom spawn in their farmer’s learning site so they can still use rice straw after their harvest to avoid wastage. The usual practice is just to burn rice straws.

“We are planning to produce organic mushroom,” she said.

They looked forward to opening the learning site by September, she added.

Dacallo has completed the Training of Trainers of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Office 6 on Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) aimed to improve the palay farmer’s competitiveness and income. (PNA)