DA-ATI 10, PLDT, Smart Bring FarmTech to Oroquieta Farmers, Expanding Digital Agriculture Access

Farmers from the LIBADATATAMA Irrigators Association in Oroquieta City are gaining access to digital tools and agricultural learning resources with a FarmTech package turned over by the Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) Region 10. FarmTech is part of the Digital Farmers Program (DFP), the digital inclusion program for farmers by the DA-ATI in partnership with PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

With nearly 900 members and almost 50 years of serving the farming community, LIBADATATAMA has built a strong network among farmers in the area. Through FarmTech, the association can further strengthen this network by making digital learning and agricultural information more accessible to its members.

The FarmTech package provides digital tools and agriculture-related learning resources that help farmers explore practical farming techniques, access relevant information, and discover digital solutions that support their day-to-day farming activities.

For Angie Yañez, the association's treasurer, digital technology has become a valuable way to learn and share knowledge with fellow farmers. Since she started using digital tools in 2022, Yañez has shared what she learns with other farmers, showing them how technology can support their work in the field.

For Leahpen Saratao, the biggest benefit is easier access to information. Through smartphone applications, farmers can learn about rice varieties, locate suppliers, and check crop information such as the number of days before harvest.

“FarmTech is a great help to us because it makes learning and applying farming practices easier. We no longer have to wait for someone to visit our farms to teach us. We can learn and apply these practices ourselves,” Saratao shared.

By providing farmers with access to digital tools and learning resources, DA-ATI 10, PLDT, and Smart are helping strengthen digital literacy in farming communities and enabling farmers to make more informed decisions for their livelihoods.

Through initiatives like the DFP, PLDT and Smart continue to support United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No Hunger by training Filipino farmers to use mobile and digital technologies to improve farm productivity, market access, and household income; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth by strengthening farmers' skills and livelihood opportunities; and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure by expanding access to digital tools and technology in rural communities.