Here are some of the highlights of SONA 2020 that many growers and online businesses should be excited about.
Retooling of our workforce via online training.
The president recognizes the need for our displaced workforce to be retooled/retrained if they are going to be part of the country’s economic recovery. He has ordered related government institutions to make online trainings free for our displaced workforce.
Creation of a Public Education Network
The president vowed to create a public education network for public schools and DepEd. This will include the most far-flung places where he plans to install satellite internet powered by solar panels. All of this he wants to be in place before he steps down in 2022.
This is an exciting project which will enable online education for the public at large. I’m hoping the network would be open for institutes and businesses like us who offer free and open education and training for all.
Renewed focus on Agriculture and Fisheries
The president reiterated the importance of agriculture and fisheries. He said his government will be working on aid and incentives for farmers and fisher folks in order to boost our agricultural out put.
He put renewed focus on the coconut industry. He also implored lawmakers to put the coco levy fund to use.
Implementing e-Governance.
The president has had enough of pila or queues. Especially now that we are grappling with a pandemic. He called on government institutions to make government services available online.
E-commerce focus
Of all the good things I heard from the SONA, this is what excited me the most. The president has called on law makers to protect sellers and buyers online and accelerate the growth of e-commerce in the country. In addition, he said his administration will put renewed focus on helping micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the Philippines.
Strengthening the country’s internet services.
The president has called upon the country’s biggest telco players to improve their services before December of this year. Otherwise they will get shutdown and expropriated.
As we all know by now the president is a man of his word.
Planting the seeds of the future.
I watched SONA 2020. While I may not agree with everything the president does or says (as with any leader), I’m quite happy with the things we agree with. Here’s to hoping that the seeds he planted today would be the prosperous future we want for our country.
Free online courses are available in the e-Learning for Agriculture and Fisheries website which is a major component of the Philippine’s Department of Agriculture’s e-Extension Program. All the online resources and e-learning courses in the e-Learning for Agriculture and Fisheries website are managed and administered by the Agricultural Training Institute. This post lists and provides a short description of free online online courses available in the website which can be very helpful in taking your urban farming business to the next level.
Good Agricultural Practices for Vegetable Production
Sample Certificate for Good Agricultural Practices for Vegetable Production
According to the course description from the website:
Yes you can produce safe and healthy vegetables.
Increase the market competitiveness of your vegetable produce by adopting Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). Through GAP, your produce can have a niche in the local and foreign market especially with the opening of the ASEAN economic integration.
The Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is a set of recommended standards and regulations that are easy to follow and apply. It will help you to prevent and reduce the risk of hazards during production, harvesting and postharvest handling of your produce. It encompasses food safety, environmental impact, workers’ health safety and welfare, and product quality?
After successfully finishing the course, you will be credited 40 hours of training and you will receive a Certificate of Completion. Ooops! That is only a bonus! If you apply all the lessons on your farm, you can request for a GAP Certification from the Department of Agriculture, absolutely free!
Although the course is designed for conventional farming the information outlined in the course can easily be adapted for hydroponics or urban farming. As highlighted in the quoted text above, if you apply all the lessons in the course on your farm you can request for a GAP certification from the Department of Agriculture absolutely free!
Production of High Value Crops in Greenhouse
Sample Certificate for Production of High Value Crops in Greenhouse
According to the course description from the website:
Would you like to produce vegetables and earn money the year round?
This online course will teach you how.
This online course will provide an easy- to- follow technology on growing high value crops in greenhouses. You can finish the course in two months. This course was developed by ATI-Region 3.
Since hydroponic vegetable production requires a protective structure, i.e. a greenhouse, this course particularly is useful for hydroponic growers. The course contains important information about vegetable production in a protective structure. It even includes a lesson about making organic pesticide made from sanseveria plants.
Basic Urban Gardening
Sample Certificate fro Basic Urban Gardening
According to the course description from the website:
Welcome and thank you for your interest to this Basic Course in Urban Gardening.
This on-line certificate course is designed for people whose love for gardening is inevitable as well as those who wanted to make their selves loosen up after the pressing work in the bustling metropolis.
With small available spaces and recyclable containers at hand, this course will facilitate their need to maximize existing resources into a productive endeavour where organically grown herbs and vegetables can be produced at their very own homes?
The course discusses the basics of gardening and includes interesting urban gardening ideas. Useful not only for hydroponic growers but also for anyone interested in taking up gardening as a hobby in the bustling metropolis.
Online Course on Training Management
Sample Certificate for Training Management
According to the course description from the website:
Training is an indispensable component of any human resource management. It has always been equated with improved performance that eventually leads to success or sustained growth. This partly depends on the quality of training provided. Developing therefore a training course that is relevant and responsive to the needs of these resources is always a great challenge for change agents, hence, this course.
Businesses require properly trained staff to operate at its full potential. This course is indispensable to any business owners who needs to train their staff about the day-to-day operations of their business.
Product Costing Made Easy
Sample certificate for Product Costing Made Easy
According to the course description from the website:
Costing is one of the perennial problems of SMEs joining trade fairs. This e-learning module aims to help you capture all yours cost and put them in an easy to use template using MS Excel with built-in formula. Additionally, understanding your cost will help you analyse how you can cut down your own costs to be more competitive and more profitable. However, it will be limited to domestic sales only. Production is mainly done manually and in batches.
Knowing your costs is the key to setting prices, lowering your costs and making improvements. The information contained in this course is indispensable to those who are just getting started in running their own business.
Links
Listed below are links to the free online training courses mentioned above:
DTI also published an e-book entitled “Your Guide to Starting a Small Enterprise” which is a very useful guide for anyone planning to start a small business.
