By Kimberly S. Miguel, StratCom Correspondent

Around 2,000 Ilokanos are currently learning about goat and swine production with the reopening of the School-on-the-Air (SOA) program of the Mariano Marcos State University - Extension Directorate. Its pilot broadcast was aired yesterday, June 7, on the DWFB Radyo Pilipinas Laoag. 

To run for five months, the broadcast classes are aired on DWFB every Wednesday and Friday at 12 nn-1 pm; on DWCI Rayo Adjo-Piddig every Tuesday and Thursday at 5-6 am; and on DWNI Radyo Karruba Burgos every Wednesday and Friday at 11 am-12 nn. Initial broadcast on the other two radio stations is set on June 13 and 14, respectively. The SOA program will also be livestreamed on the official Facebook pages of MMSU and the radio stations. 

Ms. Mercy Gaño, applied communication chief of extension directorate, said topics lined up for broadcast classes include feeding management, farm planning and budgeting, record keeping, disease/health management, animal breeding and reproduction, housing, new production management strategies, meat processing, capital management, waste management, and marketing. Key experts from the College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development, and the College of Veterinary Medicine serve as lecturers. Gaño will serve as program anchor.

In the learning venture, students took the pre-test, and will undertake post-test and other examinations, and to listen or watch the classes to receive certificates of completion. An Achiever’s Examination will also be administered to boost healthy competition among the performing enrollees. Later on, testimonies from technology adopters will be aired to further encourage the adoption of improved farm technologies and avail of crop insurance. 

The program, which will end on November 15, is in partnership with the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte through the Ilocos Norte Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System; participating local government units; Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium; Regional Agri-Aqua Innovation System Enhancement program in Ilocos region; and, Agricultural Training Institute in Region I. 

“We take delight in bringing you this latest SOA program, which reflects our commitment to promote relevant technologies to community members, who are always at the core of our development endeavors,” said Dr. Marilou Lucas, MMSU extension director. 

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis urged the enrollees to support the SOA program and other university extension initiatives which are meant to help empower communities. She also encouraged them to help promote the livestock industry in the province by applying the package of technology that the broadcast program will convey to them.

This year’s SOA program responds to the needs identified by the community members during the evaluation of the previous SOA in 2021 dubbed Tarabay iti Pagtaengan, Pagbiagan, Salun-at, ken Dadduma Pay. It is also in line with one of ACHIEVE agenda of President Agrupis, to deliver high impact and transformative extension and outreach programs. (HLY/JVBT/DPT, StratCom)