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Community Participation in Technology
Promotion/Adoption (Social and Political
Acceptability)
Two (2) successful field days were
conducted within the three (3) crop-cycles
project duration of the STBF. Actually, the first
successful field day happened on May 29, 2008
(2nd cycle, dry season) was attended by 223
participants/stakeholders (Appendix 1) which
are mostly farmers within and outside the STBF
site in Bgy. Arubub, Jones, Isabela. Impressed
on the STBF impact on yield and income
presented by the MS himself during the field
day, therefore, the 30 farmer-students (Table
11) of the MS and about 300 corn farmers in
neighboring Barangays signified their interest
not only to adopt the demonstrated technology
interventions but to grow peanut in rotation with
corn thus a shifting or changes on their farming
system is insinuated and felt influencing
positively the farming values of low-income
corn farmers. Actually, a more successful
crowd-drawing event was experienced in the
field day conducted on November 10, 2008
with the participation of 198 stakeholders (see
attached attendance sheets). Due to insistence
of almost 300 farmers to grow peanuts already
in their corn fields, the Municipal Mayor (Engr.
Florante Raspado) of LGU-Jones, Isabela had
supported the seed production of introduced
varieties and procured more than 3,000 kgs
of peanut seeds (worth P150,000) which he
distributed during the event. This highlighted
the occasion wherein hundreds of corn farmers
had happily received their planting materials
aside from the peanut seed production training
immediately extended to the farmers by the
Technical Expert in the afternoon session of
the field day to enhance their knowledge on
peanut production. To further improve the skills
and knowledge of farmer-adopters on peanut
production, copies of IEC materials (produced
out of documented best production technologies
and practices by MS) were distributed during
the conduct of the activity.
Production Expansion and Crop
Diversification
40
As an impact of the STBF, about 2,000
hectares corn-based areas in the Municipality
of Jones, Isabela are now gradually planted
with peanut (corn-peanut rotation) with support
of commitments from the Barangay and
LGU officials thus possibly retrieving back
the identity of Jones as “Peanut Basket” of
Isabela Province. Actually, a total of 172 corn
farmers (Table 12) from different barangays
of Jones, Isabela had already started growing
peanut supporting the need for production
expansion and crop diversification in the said
municipality.
Enterprise Building and Marketing
The implementation of peanut STBF
had opened doors for other agencies like the
DOST and DOLE to share their resources in
establishing a “Peanut Processing and Learning
Center”. This is part of the development of
community-based peanut industry involved
in the business of small-scale peanut food
processing in Jones, Isabela. With this, training
on peanut food processing was conducted on
March 16-17, 2009 with the participation of 25
housewives and some Barangay nutritionists
(Appendix 2). The training was initiated by
DOST in partnership with DOLE, LGU, CVARRD
and DA-CVIARC with the objective of providing
rural households additional source of income
and at the same time creating local market for
peanuts in Jones, Isabela. Today, the trained
group is now producing some acceptable
peanut processed products that are already
on-display for sale during festivals and exhibits.
Soon, these peanut processed products will
already be part of the “pasalubong” products
of the Municipality of Jones thus helping the
said LGU generate employment and income
thereby supporting the development of local
peanut industry.
Technology Transfer vis-à-vis Farmers’
Empowerment
Through the STBF project, the
Magsasaka Siyentista together with his 30
STBF: A Fast-Moving Techno Transfer Modality ..............