“Extension Is Not That Important In Philippine Agriculture” – And That Is The Wrong Attitude! – Frank A Hilario

I see the report (above) as a single common lesson for the Department of Science & Technology (DoST), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the University of the Philippines System (UP System); I say: “Extension is what & how you make it.”

I say: “Extension is making known new or revised scientific knowledge elsewhere it was not discovered or deciphered.” Here is rare news labeled “extension,” by Paul Jersey G Leon from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD): “Bringing Hope To Conflict-Vulnerable Communities In Mindanao Through Agricultural Extension” (14 Jan 2022,  DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services, PCAARRD.dost.gov.ph). It is based on the paper presented by Emma Ruth V Bayogan of UP Mindanao on 29 Nov 2021.

Old, but quite relevant to scientific Research, Development & Extension, where Extension is an area of science I note has been much neglected:

An alternative agricultural extension model has been giving a ray of hope to six conflict-vulnerable, geographically isolated, and disadvantaged communities in South Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Zamboanga Sibugay. This was the highlight of the paper, “Giving Farmers Uwen Fananafedew: Improving Agricultural Extension Policy In Conflict-Vulnerable Areas Through The Livelihood Improvement Through Facilitated Extension (LIFE) Model,” which was implemented by the team of Dr Emma Ruth V Bayogan of the University of the Philippines Mindanao.

“Science is not a substitute for common sense, but an extension of it” – Willard Van Orman Quine.

I especially note the qualification “alternative agricultural extension model” – I am thinking right now of the DA’s agency Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) whose model of extension has been truncated to simply training: Unfortunately!

Above, the LIFE Model of Extension was jointly implemented by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia; LandCare Foundation of the Philippines, University of the Philippines Mindanao, University of the Philippines Los Baños, and DoST.

(The LIFE Model is) an agro-enterprise development program hinged on facilitating farmers’ access to technical innovations, building community social capital, and collaborating effectively with local institutions through facilitated extension.

The LIFE Model has been giving more than “a ray of hope to the conflict-vulnerable communities” as Mr Leron puts it; it has been simplifying farmers’ access to technical innovations, helping build social networks, and overall facilitating the collaboration of local institutions – all for the farmers’ common benefits. “Facilitated extension” means “holding the hands of.” I say, if it is notfacilitated, it’s not extension!

The project started in 2013 in 3 sites: Zamboanga Sibugay, Maguindanao, and South Cotabato, and expanded to 10 sites in 2017.

According to (the UP Mindanao report), the implementation of the LIFE Model helped improve farmers’ social capital as evidenced by their formation of farmers’ organizations, development of trust and closer bonds with each other, and increased networks and participation in community activities.

Nonetheless, I believe the LIFE Model of Extension can be further facilitated for other farmer groups in the Philippines by DoST by creating a pertinent “Digital Library of Extension” – facilitating searching, exploring. I would be glad to facilitate that!@517