The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 8, through the SCALE UP Program, formally culminated Farmer Field School (FFS) on Innovative Farming Practices for Sustainable Corn Production and Enterprise — an initiative oriented towards providing stable livelihood to SCALE UP beneficiaries and boosting corn production in the region through enhancing farmers’ competence—held at Abuyog, Leyte, on September 8, 2025.
With hard work and passion, 28 SCALE UP beneficiaries from Abuyog hurdled the entire course and successfully earned their well-deserved certificate of completion.
The Farmer Field School, held every Thursday for sixteen weeks, entailed crop establishment, lectures on the nitty-gritty of corn production, and regular field monitoring. It imparted substantive information and provided hands-on experience on optimum fertilizer application, proper distancing, pest management, appropriate usage of the soil health card scheme, and other vital aspects of corn production.
This initiative hits two birds with one stone: firstly, it aims to improve the livelihood of SCALE UP beneficiaries, and secondly, it contributes to the attainment of corn supply sufficiency in the region.
These SCALE UP beneficiaries are expected to have gained adequate knowledge and the right skills in corn production, improving their livelihood and, in effect, contributing to the corn supply in the region.
Leandro Baula, Regional Corn Program Coordinator, underscored the promising potential of corn production in Abuyog with the leverage of modern technology and with proven and scientifically grounded farming strategies.
He noted that, “Kun iton parag-uma magsusunod hiton mga bag-o nga hibabruanan ha pag-uma ngan magsusunod hin makabag-o nga mga teknolohiya, dire imposible nga madoble an ira kita.” (If farmers religiously apply farming techniques and maximize the use of technology, doubling their profit will not be impossible.)
Yamang Lupa: The SCALE UP program’s main objective is to “rejuvenate the soil” through proper fertilizer applications with the assistance of the Soil Health Card to enhance yields.
