Farmers in 12 communities now Internet addicts

By Anselmo Roque - Inquirer Central Luzon Desk


SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ -- Confronted with a pest attack on his rice field, Marcelino Dizon, a 60-year-old farmer from Barangay Rang-ayan here, went straight to the barangay hall to search for answers.

With the flick of a callused finger, Dizon turned on a computer and started surfing the Net. In no time at all, he had the information he needed.

In Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, Bienvenido Mariano, 62, faced a similar problem. He got the answer from the Internet—stem borers were attacking his plants—and learned what he should do to solve the problem.

Dizon and Mariano are among the hundreds of farmers in 12 cyber communities around the country who have become adept at using the Internet as a tool for improving rice-farming techniques.

“I never expected that I would be able to learn to use the computer, much less the Internet,” said Dizon.

“I am able to get answers right away to my queries on rice farming,” he said.

Dizon’s village, which is 9 kilometers from the city proper, has no landline telephone connection. But through the wonders of information and communications technology (ICT), Barangay Rang-ayan is now connected to the Internet and its residents are able to make phone calls using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.

VoIP is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet instead of the traditional telephone networks. The technology turns telephony signals to digital audio which pass as compressed data over the Internet, which is a worldwide interconnection of computer networks.

Mariano’s village is 21 km from the provincial capital of Digos where the Internet backbone has been installed and beamed to their cyber community by wireless technology.

The cyber community project is being undertaken by the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture (Opapa), an alliance of two international organizations (the International Rice Research Institute and the India-based International Crops Research Institute for Semi-arid Tropics), six state colleges and universities, and nine agencies of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Science and Technology.

Established in July 2003, the Opapa focuses on content development and management of information on rice farming and the growing of other crops and even livestock.

The Muñoz-based Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has been chosen to host the Opapa. An interagency advisory council, chaired by the PhilRice executive director, governs the academy.

The Opapa has established 12 cyber communities as test-beds for linking knowledge centers, local government units, farmers’ cooperatives or groups and markets through ICT.

Aside from Barangay Rang-ayan here and Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur, the other cyber communities are in Batac, Ilocos Norte; San Mateo, Isabela; Magalang, Pampanga; Victoria, Laguna; Bago City, Negros Occidental; Midsayap and Kabacan in North Cotabato; Banaybanay, Davao Oriental; Dujali, Davao del Norte, and Butuan City, Agusan del Norte.

Farmers were first trained on the use of a computer. Later, they were taught how to get into the Internet and use it as a tool for getting information.

Opapa staff have compiled amusing stories of these beginner sessions on basic computer and Internet operations in the different cyber communities.

“Some of the trainees were even afraid to switch on the computer. They were afraid it would explode,” said one trainer.

“It was very amusing. We really spent time teaching them how to use the mouse and even how to correctly place their fingers on the keyboard,” said another.

In San Mateo, Isabela, about 300 farmers underwent hands-on training for several Saturdays last year until they became “addicted” to the use of the computer and the Internet.

“Before, I could only go to nearby towns, but now I can travel around the world because I’ve learned how to use the Internet,” said Nemesio Garon, a farmer from Puypuy, Laguna.

He said more information about rice farming is now available to him because of the facilities for connecting to the Internet right in his village.

Nemesio Macabale, the city agriculturist here, said he and his staff were themselves forced to learn and master the use of the Internet because it was his job to “preach” to the farmers in his cyber community here.

“Now, I know how to chat, e-mail, and search the Web for the latest in agricultural information,” he said.

Some agriculture extension workers said they have learned about the latest technologies in rice production with the establishment of the cyber communities.

Opapa also offers other services like the mobile classroom for Internet technology and the texting center.

The mobile classroom, equipped with computers and an audio-video system, introduces the use of the computers and the Internet in remote areas.

In 2005, the mobile classroom traveled on a road show from Aparri to Davao, reaching more than 3,000 extension workers, agricultural officers, cooperative leaders, mayors, farmers and governors.

The Opapa was able to show the farmers that it is now quite easy for them to get updated on agriculture developments, particularly in rice farming, consult with experts online, and other services that the Web can provide.

The academy has also put up a Web portal for various rice farming technologies and several modules for the production of other crops.

The texting center, on the other hand, provides opportunities for farmers and technicians to get answers to their problems in rice production through text messaging.

“There is no intention to replace the existing system of extension service to the farmers,” Sebastian said.

“These services of the academy are just meant to complement the existing extension service in agriculture through the wonders of the information and communication technology,” he said.