Agusan Sur orients provincial offices on agricultural services, aid to farmers
By Kelvin Kennt R. Generalo
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur — Agusan del Sur strengthened its agricultural extension services through a technical orientation for personnel from the Provincial Research Development and Innovation Office (PRDIO), the Upland Sustainable Agri-forestry Development (USAD) unit, and the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).
The activity, held at the PRDIO, DO Plaza Government Center in Prosperidad on July 28, aimed to enhance coordination among these offices to advance their programs for farmers in the province.
The orientation detailed each office’s roles and responsibilities to ensure that programs are well organized and consistently implemented for the benefit of local farmers.
“This time everyone should work together in the same direction, with the same standard and commitment,” said Provincial Administrator Josephine Ambongan.
The province continues to promote soil health as the foundation of sustainable farming. Through this initiative, the biogeochemistry laboratory under PRDIO will scale up its services, especially in promoting the correct and efficient use of fertilizer.
The orientation also highlighted the importance of soil test-based fertilization to reduce fertilizer expenses while increasing harvest.
“Within our PRDIO, we have our biogeochemistry laboratory to organize and level up the way we provide agricultural extension services to our farmers, especially on fertilizer application,” said Doctor Oscar Jurado, supervising agriculturist at PRDIO.
“Now, we advocate for soil health through soil test-based fertilization, which we have witnessed and how it reduced the cost of fertilizer application while increasing yield, especially rice. With all these positive results, farmers will truly feel the benefits,” he added.
Secondary to the objective of the orientation is fostering camaraderie among the different offices as they work together to support the agriculture sector, with a shared goal of improving the production and livelihoods of local farmers.
“As we implement our co-investment and other programs and projects in agriculture, the deeper synergy among the three offices must be visible, quicker, and easier to implement in our agriculture programs,” said Jurado.
By aligning the efforts of PRDIO, USAD, and PAO, Agusan del Sur is set to build a more coordinated and science-based agricultural support system. This strengthened collaboration, anchored on soil health and efficient fertilizer use, is expected to lower production costs, increase yields, and ultimately improve the quality of life for farmers across the province. (KKRG, PIA Agusan del Sur with a report from PTV Agusan del Sur/Photo credit to PGAS)
