CATBALOGAN, SAMAR | October 13, 2022 – Fifty (50) aspiring dealers in the region of Samar attended the Accredited Safety Dispenser (ASD) training in Cocina de Carbral, Catbalogan, Samar, last Oct. 5-6, 2022.

ASD training is a prerequisite in securing a license provided by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) to operate as a dealer of fertilizer and pesticide (F/P) products and aims to train store owners/proprietors, Individual Business Owners (IBOs) on the proper dispensing of the products.

On the first day, FPA conducted a pre-test examination to assess participants’ prior understanding of the topics and the introduction of the Agency, including the excerpts regarding updates, outlooks, and trends. Afterward, FPA Region VIII discussed the soil fertilizer, plant growth, and proper F/P handling, storage, and transport.

In addition, Mr. Dante Diadula from Longping Hybrid Rice covered the Review Module and Examination of Hybrid Rice, while Mr. Jelfried Bentalanon from LEADS-Agri covered General Pesticide Information.

Various topics were also discussed on the second day of the training, such as pesticide poisoning and first aid, understanding of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and fertilizer and pesticide registration and licensing.

The last part of the training was a post-test examination to see if the participants understood the topics discussed over the two-day training. At the end of the two-day course, the Agency expected that participants would be able to discuss with their clientele the proper use and handling of fertilizer and pesticide, as well as precautionary measures and the right kind of agricultural inputs for their farm.

The said training was organized by FPA Regional Field Unit VIII headed by Mr. Francis Salvador Costas, along with the Provincial Officers Eric C. Castañas, John Mar L. Nosura, Gary De la Cruz, Claudette Mae Terciño, and Loreto Macabio Jr. ###