TAGUIG CITY -- Boosting its agriculture programs nationwide, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has introduced a program which aims to help upland farmers gain sustainable development and increase their yield.
The program, dubbed as Sustainable Integrated Development in Slope Land Areas (SIDSLA), aims to reach out to farmers in upland areas as part of the whole-of-nation approach to sustainable development, peace, and order.
TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña explained that the program is implemented through the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
He added that since his assumption as TESDA Chief in 2018, he made the agriculture as one of his top priorities.
“We continue to train our farmers especially those who are in the far-flung communities because empowering our farmers is among the important keys to strengthen the agriculture sector,” the TESDA Chief said.
Various TESDA field offices have started capacitating its agriculture trainers by providing them with the skills and knowledge in slope land farming to assist slope land farmers in developing a sustainable integrated farming system through Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT).
Several trainers from the TESDA Technology Institutions in Region II, VI, XI, among others, have undergone the SIDLA-SALT training.
Under SIDSLA-SALT training, trainees are being taught what crops to plant that could thrive in mountainous areas and how to contour slope areas. They are taught how to prevent soil erosion and loss of nutrients.
In Davao de Oro, TESDA-Region XI has launched SIDSLA-SALT training participated by 40 farmers in New Tibungco, Poblacion, in the municipality of Montevista, one of the considered priority barangays in the area.
The launching was participated by TESDA Region XI Region Director Lorenzo Macapili, and TESDA SALT trainer and consultant, Mr. Janoz Laquihon.
Further, on April 12, TESDA Region XI conducted the region-wide simultaneous launching of SIDSLA-SALT training wherein 126 residents in the region consisting of farmers, former rebels and indigenous people (IPs) have participated.
TESDA, as the lead agency of the PRLEC of the NTF-ELCAC has been going to far-flung areas of the country to provide skill straining and livelihood programs to indigenous people (IPs), former rebels, among others. (TESDA)
