Eleven rice specialists nationwide which include three trainers from Davao Region have converged in the TESDA Central Office in Taguig City on March 11-15, 2024 to develop Competency Standards with a proposed title of Inbred Rice Production spearheaded by the Qualifications and Standards Office (QSO).
Engr. Jeric F. Bilita of RTC-KorPhil Davao, Engr. Ricky J. Dabalos of PTC-Davao Occidental, and Engr. Jeny E. Buscano of PTC-Davao del Norte joined other technical experts in rice from TESDA for the 5-day development of standards in the qualification entitled Farmers Field Schools in the Production of High Quality Inbred Rice, Seed Certification and Farm Mechanization, currently offered under the Rice Extension Services Program f funded by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
In the event, the rice specialists in the first three days have assigned five core Unit of Competencies composing of Select Rice Seed Variety, Prepare Land, Establish Rice Crop, Care and Maintain Rice Crop, and Conduct Harvest and Postharvest Operations. For each UC, the experts defined the Learning Outcomes and the Performance Criteria needed to raise the competence of the rice farmer with the right knowledge, skills, attitude and industry practices.
The group also defined the evidence guide included in the new standard such as the critical aspect for assessment, resources implications, and methods and context of assessment.
In the fourth day, the team have presented the CS for review and validation of the various industry practitioners such as rice farmers, farm school owners, government agencies, among others stakeholders conducted via Zoom application.
Selected by QSO, the eleven technical experts are trainers in the FFS who were first capacitated in the Rice Specialist Training Course (RSTC), a season long training of rice production for three months at DA-Philrice Central Experiment Station in Nueva Ecija on 2019.
