Aurora State College of Technology Strengthens Community-Responsive Agroforestry Research, Extension, and Innovation through DOST-NRCP RDLead

The training was led by experts from the NRCP Division of Agriculture and Forestry: RD Leader Dr. Wilfredo M. Carandang and Dr. Leila D. Landicho, both from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

Dr. Landicho opened the sessions with discussions on the principles and evolution of community participation, levels of stakeholder engagement, and key factors for successful community-based research. Through practical exercises and reflection sessions, ASCOT faculty members analyzed effective engagement techniques and shared insights from their own extension work.

During interactive workshops, ASCOT researchers identified challenges and needs in their current initiatives, emphasizing the need for increased funding opportunities and expanded Communication, Education, and Public Awareness (CEPA) activities to support local agroforestry initiatives.

On the second day, Dr. Landicho presented case examples of participatory community projects and highlighted how monitoring and evaluation can be integrated into engagement initiatives to assess outcomes, improve implementation, and support continuous learning.

Dr. Carandang discussed the UPLB-developed Conservation Farming Villages (CFV) approach, drawing lessons from active project sites to show how the model advances sustainable agriculture, boosts farm incomes, and protects vulnerable sloping ecosystems.

The training culminated in a consultative session to develop a strategic roadmap for advancing the ASCOT’s research ecosystem. Dr. Carandang, ASCOT officials, and ASCOT faculty researchers identified opportunities for future collaboration and laid the groundwork for strengthening the institution’s research and extension initiatives through a more strategic and responsive research ecosystem.