About the Center

The Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILARRDEC) was created on December 21, 1979 when a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) its base and lead agency with three other agencies. ILARRDEC started as the Ilocos Agricultural Research Center (ILIARC) and gradually metamorphosed into the Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research Center (ILARRC) in 1985 and finally knot its present name in 1988. Today, the consortium is composed of 18 strong and cohesive agencies and has become a viable steward of R&D in the Ilocos Region.

The four founding members are the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), which is the lead agency; the erstwhile Cotton Research and Development Institute (CRDI), now the Cottton Development Administration (CODA); the erstwhile Philippine Tobacco Research and Training Center, now part of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA); and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).

To date, the member agencies are as follows: Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), Pangasinan State University (PSU); University of Northern Philippines (UNP), Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC), Union Christian College of Northern Development Organization for Rural Action (UCC-CONDORA); Department of Agriculture (DA)-1, National Tobacco Administration (NTA), Cotton Development Administration (CODA), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-1, Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-1, PCARRD, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte,Northwestern University (NWU) and Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).

Center Objectives & Goals

ILARRDEC carries on activities on coordination, monitoring and evaluation of agriculture, resources, research and development in Region I and facilities sharing among its member-agencies.

While relying on its members' strengths and pool of expertise, ILARRDEC forms a formidable complementation of capabilities to maximize the resources for R&D, eliminates the duplication of research efforts among member-agencies and focuses activities to eliminate fragmentation in R & D. Likewise, effective utilization and transfer of research results attains the goals of sustainable development in agriculture, forestry and natural resources.

ILARRDEC translates its R & D activities into focus programs aligned with the national development agenda. It enhances and revitalizes human resource capability, foster active cooperation and partnership not only with the local government units, and non-government organization, but also even with foreign organizations; and increases its membership to expand more services and cater the needs of the greater populace.

Contact Information

ILARRDEC
Mariano Marcos State University
Batac City 2906, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Contact No: (077) 792-3420, (077) 792-3688

Center Services

Farmers Information and Technology Services

Farmers Information and Technology Services or Techno Pinoy is an information and technology delivery service facility which is aimed at improving access of farmers, traders, processors, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to information and technologies in agriculture and natural resources.

As provider of information service, FITS provides IEC materials in different formats such as print (primer, comics, leaflets and bulletins), audio-visual, broadcast, and e-based media. A pool of experts in Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) may be tapped to render appropriate services and to package information and technology services for its clients.

As provider of technology service , FITS responds to client needs in terms of technology clinic, training, caravans, sale of planting materials, linkaging and enterprise development. A dynamic feedback mechanism is instituded wherein FITS/Techno Pinoy, in partnership with other service providers, constantly seeks to finetune and match its information and technology services according to the clients' needs and preferences. It carefully considers and evaluates feedback from clients and immediately relays the information to concerned service providers.

Moreover, FITS centers serves as one-stop information shop of agriculture, forestry and natural resources catering to the needs of farmers, entrepreneurs, traders, processors and other stakeholders.

 

Services of FITS

Information Services

• provision of technology information in print, audio/video tapes and databases formats
• access to global information through ICT
• exhibits of new technologies, products and services
• production and dissemination of information, education and communication (IEC) materials

Technology Services

• technology clinic
• technology training
• technical advisory and consultancy
• linking the clients to the accredited nursery orchards and to agricultural experts
• pest clinic information services
• production and post-production information services

Strategies

• Establish centers closest to the farmers, processors, traders and entrepreneurs.
• Define products and services of every center with respective clients to maintain their relevance.
• Build the capacity of the centers to sustain the delivery of products and services through linkaging, training, cross-visits and hands-on management of the program.
• Network with research centers to create a broad database of information and technology.
• Use information technology, such as the Intra and Internet, for fast access and delivery of services.
• Form partnership with other resource centers to enhance available services.
• Conduct information campaign to build the clients' awareness and positive attitude, encourage their sustained use of the centers' resources, and increase their knowledge on technoliges related to agriculture, forestry and natural resources.

Clients

• Farmers
• Processors
• Traders
• Entrepreneurs

Resource Centers/Service Providers

• Research and development institutions
• Development and service organizations
• Information networks
• Policy-making bodies

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Magsasaka Siyentista

The Farmers Scientist Bureau (FSB), popularly known as Magsasaka Syentista is a shift in development paradigm towards a farmer centered model of participatory development in agriculture and natural resources. It is composed of outstanding farmers who demonstrate successful application of S & T-based and indigenous technologies. These farmers are active participants, enablers, facilitators or initiators of technology development and transfer processes.

Participating outstanding farmers are identified, evaluated and selected based on a set of criteria. As a farmer-to-farmer advisory services, FSB provides technical assistance to the local government units and farmer cooperatives or organizations.

The MS acts as resource person during trainings, seminars, field days, investment clinics, cross-visits etc; provides technical assistance and hands-on training and shares experimental insights to on-farm visitors and other FSB trainees; devotes a certain portion of his/her farms as demonstration plot for his/her own on-farm trials; tests/applies technological information learned from the seminars and cross-visits attended; and influences other farmers in adopting his outstanding farm practices by sharing information, experiences, resources and ideas.

It has been observed that through the MS who serves as a model for new technologies is very effective in promoting a certain technology. It serves as an avenue to directly involve the farmers in research and development by integrating their knowledge and experiences with the partners in science community.

FSB aims to strengthen the existing technology generated and developed by the ILARRDEC member-agencies. The MS play a pivotal role in the locality showcasing their indigenous technologies and technologies developed by the consortium.

Magsasaka Siyentista	FITS Center	Contact Number
Alleon F. Chanco	FITS Agoo, La Union	0917-8809409
Nestor C. Acosta	FITS Bacarra, Ilocos Norte	077776067
Florendo D. Pitpit	FITS Batac, Ilocos Norte	09195315483

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Other Services

Expert Services

Technical Assistance Services

Technical Assistance services focuses on imparting skills and techniques on the recent technological breakthroughs toward enchancing productivity and income of the farmers and the business sector.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

This facilitates information flow and enables the service providers to respond quickly to meet the needs of the clients. ICT includes information databse and the internet, as strategy support and facilitates FITS and FSB services. Databases piloted and installed in various Techno Pinoy Centers include technology, manpower, infrastructure, publication and other R & D databases. The internet may also be accessed by the clients for up-to-date information relevant to the agriculture and natural resources stakeholders.

Information and Communication (IEC) Strategies

A research-need-based communication process aimed to hasten adoption of technologies by FITS and FSB clientele.

Among others, IEC activities involve: information needs assessment; objective setting and communication planning; design and production of prototype, testing and dissemination of IEC materials in print, audio-visual, broadcast and other electronic formats; impact evaluation; and interpersonal approaches such as information caravan and technology exhibits.

One Stop Information Shop (OSIS)

Pagadawan, ILARRDEC's One Stop Information Shop (OSIS) is based/located at the ILARRDEC Secretariat, MMSU, Batac, Ilocos Norte. OSIS is a one-stop shop of all information and technologies newly generated and developed by the member-agencies of ILARRDEC. The ILARRDEC-OSIS uses various communication strategies to meet the needs of the clients. Among strategies already used to disseminate the information and technologies are print media (technoguides, primers, brochures, leaflets, books and others), broadcast (radio program/interview), educational communication materials (posters, billboards, exhibits, product displays and others), interpersonal communication (field visits, consultations with subject matter specialists), and the mediated communication (use of telephone). The OSIS caters to various clients such as farmers, extensionists, agricultural technicians, municipal agricultural officers, researchers, housewives, students, teachers, other government officials and stakeholders from all over the country.

The content of the ILARRDEC-OSIS is continuously upgraded through the cooperation of the RACO, RMIS, and RTPG members and the secretariat. Exhibits on new technologies, products, and other instructional materials are displayed at the OSIS to make them readily available for farmers and other clients.

Besides the ILARRDEC-OSIS, the Cotton Development Administration (CODA) and the Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI) of DMMMSU maintain their OSIS on cotton and sericulture, respectively.