As part of the initiatives of Project SARAI for its partner State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), SARAI Project 4, led by Dr. Decibel Faustino-Eslava, Dean of SESAM, together with SARAI Project 1 led by Dr. Felino P. Lansigan, Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, conducted the SARAI Training-Workshop on Crop Forecasting using Crop Simulation and Cropped Area Estimation.

The training-workshop was conducted in Benguet State University (BSU), La Trinidad, Benguet last July 5-7, 2016 and in Caraga State University (CSU), Butuan City, Agusan Del Norte last July 19-21, 2016.

The training-workshop in BSU was participated by the consultants of SARAI and other faculty and researchers from SUCs in Luzon, including BSU, Bicol State University, Central Luzon State University (CLSU), Isabela State University (ISU), Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MINSCAT), and  Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU). The training-workshop in CSU was participated by SUCs from Visayas and Mindanao, including CSU, Western Visayas State University (WVSU), Central Mindanao University (CMU), Southern Philippines Agri-business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST), and University of Southern Mindanao (USM).

With an aim of having the participants learn the operation of crop modeling software and their applications to climate variability, water management, yield gap analysis, site-specific management, and other issues, the participants were trained on the use of software, such as Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT), LARS-WG Stochastic Weather Generator, and QGIS (Free and Open Source Geographic Information System).

“I find the software easy to use given the available weather data and other variables”, said Dr. Adeflor Garcia of USM.

Dr. Pompe Sta. Cruz also lectured on the techniques, with a sharing of his own experiences, in writing research papers for publication.

The training-workshop was done in partnership with the host universities– BSU with President Feliciano Calora, Jr., and CSU with President Anthony Penaso. (RM Areglado and Cherry Padilla)