To boost crop yields and promote sustainable farming, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Cagayan Valley conducted a training workshop on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Vegetable, Rice, and Corn Production for 35 members of the Patanad Farmers Association (PFA) in Quezon, San Isidro, Isabela last August 20, 2026.
Members actively participated in discussions led by the Resource Person, Mr. Wilbert Crisologo, Agriculturist I. Farmers learned to recognize key crop threats, such as Fall Armyworm in corn, Brown Planthopper and Stem Borer in rice, and Fruit Borers in vegetables. Identifying these destructive pests including the natural controllers helps farmers avoid unnecessary chemical spraying.
Other topics focused on non-chemical management strategies, including crop rotation, field sanitation, synchronous planting, and the use of biological agents like Trichogramma wasps. These practices will help PFA members break pest breeding cycles naturally and maintain long-term soil and ecosystem health without relying solely on expensive synthetic inputs.
Through interactive discussions and an open forum, participants effectively grasped the core concepts of eco-friendly pest control and expressed deep appreciation for SAAD Cagayan Valley’s ongoing initiatives.
“Ang aking natutunan sa training ay marami, gaya ng kung paano puksahin ang mga insekto sa palayan at gulayan, at kung kailan ang tamang panahon ng pag-spray. Malaki ang maitutulong ng training na ito kung paano mapalago ang aming mga pananim. Nagpapasalamat din ako sa SAAD dahil lagi nilang tinutulungan at tinetrain ang mga asosasyon ng farmers dito sa Barangay Patanad at sa ibang lugar din,” stated Mr. Orlando Saflor, PFA President.
(I learned a lot from the training, such as how to control pests in our rice fields and vegetable gardens, as well as the right timing for spraying them. This training will be a huge help in improving our crop yields. I am also grateful to SAAD because they consistently support and train farmer associations here in Barangay Patanad and other areas as well.)
Meanwhile, Ms. Delia Gauan, PFA Secretary, commended government programs like SAAD for helping marginalized farmers improve their livelihoods.
“Ang SAAD ay isang napakagandang sangay ng gobyerno kung saan malaki ang naitutulong nito sa mga farmers upang mapaganda ang produksiyon at kita ng mga magsasaka. Nawa’y tuloy-tuloy ang mga ganitong gawain upang magabayan at matulungan ang mga maliliit na magsasaka,” she shared.
(SAAD is a wonderful government program that provides immense support to farmers in improving production and income. May these initiatives continue so that smallholder farmers will always be guided and uplifted.)
Through continuous capacity-building initiatives like this IPM training, PFA members are expected to apply these new techniques in the upcoming planting season to reduce production costs, safeguard crop health, and boost their overall farm yields. ###
