By Jeanevive Duron-Abangan
BANAY-BANAY, Davao Oriental Nov. 6 (PIA) -- Rice farmers used to recall instructions of their forefathers when solving problems on rice farming.
That however is no longer the practice of farmers in the municipality of Banay-banay in Davao Oriental. They now access the internet, search the web for information and talk to experts either via videoconferencing or short messaging system (SMS).
Their modern way of solving rice farming problems has made the Farmers’ Information Technology Services (FITS) Center of Banay-banay bagged this year’s Best Community e-Center (CeC) Award with a P100,000 cash reward given during this year’s 8th Knowledge e-Community Center (KeC) national conference held in Davao City.
The award marks a sustained effort through the support of the municipal government under the leadership of Mayor Pedro Mejos who was recognized as a “CeC Champion” during the same occasion, for his support to the Cyber Village Project of FITS Banay-banay.
FITS Manager Ester Solamo who now sits as the Municipal Agriculturist said the award came a long way from 2007 when Banay-banay FITS (a project of the Department of Science and Technology) first implemented the Cyber Village Program Phase I in rice-based barangay Caganganan in cooperation with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE), the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture(OPAPA) based in Nueva Ecija and the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP).
The Cyber Village Program brings internet connection at the barangay level with the barangay hall as the connectivity site where rice farmers do online research on pest management, farm input supplies and marketing.
Through it, they can also directly consult experts on particular rice farming concerns either through video-conferencing, SMS or internet calls.
Solamo said the Cyber Village Program has played a crucial role in improving the rice productivity of Banay-banay which has long been known as one of the major rice producers in the Davao Region. It has a total of 2,161 hectares of rice farms devoted to commercial rice and certified seeds production.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) XI data on best replicable practices reveals in its documentation that the Cyber Village Program Phase I resulted in reduction in the volume of fertilizer applied by farmers who were into cyber research; increase in diversity of rice varieties grown; reduction in rice diseases; 15 percent increase in average yield of rice; and 100 percent use of certified seeds among cyber farmers.
The cyber program was also found of help to teachers and students who were given the opportunity to access the internet in doing their research work particularly on School Technology and Entrepreneurship of the Philippines, on fertilizer computation, on the health benefits malunggay among others.
The felt successes of the Cyber Village Phase I in Barangay Caganganan gave way to the fabrication of Banay-banay Mobile Internet Cab patterned after the “Pinoy Farmers Mobile Internet Bus” (M/B) of OPAPA.
Inaugurated on April 22, 2009, the mobile IT cab of Banay-banay bears a slight from its model as it is capable of carrying eight laptops, instead of only four, accommodating more community users particularly rice farmers, students and even out-of-school youths (OSYs).
Philrice-OPAPA provided four laptops while the four other laptops were solicited from local government officials of Davao Oriental, from the Department of Agriculture (DA) XI and from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).
While the mobile IT cab spreads sharing of internet access among rice communities, it limits access to cyber information as it visits rice-based barangays on scheduled basis.
The need for a steady access to cyber information gives rise to the idea of soliciting assistance from the National Computer Center (NCC) for the establishment of Community e-Centers, giving birth to Cyber Village Phase II which covers five more rice-based barangays of Rang-ay, Cabangcalan, Mugbongcogon, Calubihan and Barangay Poblacion.
Initially only three barangays have been given computer package from NCC through the Philippine CeC Program which provides recipients barangays four computer units and one unit of all-in-one printer capable scanning and copying. The rests are working ways to get internet connection through the assistance of FITS.
As farmers in the six Cyber Village barangays have been enabled to access the internet for information, resulting in production increase and effective pest management, upland farmers are expressing their desire to get on line and be connected with experts, as well.
Taking heed of such call, Solamo said the municipal government through the Municipal Agriculture Office is planning to connect the eight other barangays to the internet to gain fast access to reliable information.
“Gusto din nila maging cyber village. (They also want to become cyber villages.)” he said. (PIA XI/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
That however is no longer the practice of farmers in the municipality of Banay-banay in Davao Oriental. They now access the internet, search the web for information and talk to experts either via videoconferencing or short messaging system (SMS).
Their modern way of solving rice farming problems has made the Farmers’ Information Technology Services (FITS) Center of Banay-banay bagged this year’s Best Community e-Center (CeC) Award with a P100,000 cash reward given during this year’s 8th Knowledge e-Community Center (KeC) national conference held in Davao City.
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| (Picture lifted from internet) |
FITS Manager Ester Solamo who now sits as the Municipal Agriculturist said the award came a long way from 2007 when Banay-banay FITS (a project of the Department of Science and Technology) first implemented the Cyber Village Program Phase I in rice-based barangay Caganganan in cooperation with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE), the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture(OPAPA) based in Nueva Ecija and the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP).
The Cyber Village Program brings internet connection at the barangay level with the barangay hall as the connectivity site where rice farmers do online research on pest management, farm input supplies and marketing.
Through it, they can also directly consult experts on particular rice farming concerns either through video-conferencing, SMS or internet calls.
Solamo said the Cyber Village Program has played a crucial role in improving the rice productivity of Banay-banay which has long been known as one of the major rice producers in the Davao Region. It has a total of 2,161 hectares of rice farms devoted to commercial rice and certified seeds production.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) XI data on best replicable practices reveals in its documentation that the Cyber Village Program Phase I resulted in reduction in the volume of fertilizer applied by farmers who were into cyber research; increase in diversity of rice varieties grown; reduction in rice diseases; 15 percent increase in average yield of rice; and 100 percent use of certified seeds among cyber farmers.
The cyber program was also found of help to teachers and students who were given the opportunity to access the internet in doing their research work particularly on School Technology and Entrepreneurship of the Philippines, on fertilizer computation, on the health benefits malunggay among others.
The felt successes of the Cyber Village Phase I in Barangay Caganganan gave way to the fabrication of Banay-banay Mobile Internet Cab patterned after the “Pinoy Farmers Mobile Internet Bus” (M/B) of OPAPA.
Inaugurated on April 22, 2009, the mobile IT cab of Banay-banay bears a slight from its model as it is capable of carrying eight laptops, instead of only four, accommodating more community users particularly rice farmers, students and even out-of-school youths (OSYs).
 |
| (from internet) |
Philrice-OPAPA provided four laptops while the four other laptops were solicited from local government officials of Davao Oriental, from the Department of Agriculture (DA) XI and from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).
While the mobile IT cab spreads sharing of internet access among rice communities, it limits access to cyber information as it visits rice-based barangays on scheduled basis.
The need for a steady access to cyber information gives rise to the idea of soliciting assistance from the National Computer Center (NCC) for the establishment of Community e-Centers, giving birth to Cyber Village Phase II which covers five more rice-based barangays of Rang-ay, Cabangcalan, Mugbongcogon, Calubihan and Barangay Poblacion.
Initially only three barangays have been given computer package from NCC through the Philippine CeC Program which provides recipients barangays four computer units and one unit of all-in-one printer capable scanning and copying. The rests are working ways to get internet connection through the assistance of FITS.
As farmers in the six Cyber Village barangays have been enabled to access the internet for information, resulting in production increase and effective pest management, upland farmers are expressing their desire to get on line and be connected with experts, as well.
Taking heed of such call, Solamo said the municipal government through the Municipal Agriculture Office is planning to connect the eight other barangays to the internet to gain fast access to reliable information.
“Gusto din nila maging cyber village. (They also want to become cyber villages.)” he said. (PIA XI/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
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