TY  - GEN
AU  - Arceo, Antonieta J.
AU  - Umbay, Marietta Q. (Faculty Adviser)
AU  - Saliot, Asterio P. (Institutional Partner)
AU  - Magalit, Immanuel A. (Program Representative)
TI  - Maximizing the services of the Farmers Contact Center (FCC) through a comprehensive communication and advocacy plan
KW  - Electronic communication
N1  - Public Management Development Program
N2  - The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), as the extension and training arm of the Department of Agriculture (DA), is now maximizing the use of the information and communication technology (ICT) to facilitate the flow of knowledge sharing on agricultural technologies and farm and business advisory services with its clients -- the agricultural extension workers and farmers/fishers.  The Farmer's Contact Center (FCC) is one of the ICT-supported extension modalities established by ATI. The FCC acts as a support center of the DA to deliver farm and business advisory services through the use of the latest mode of communication available in the country, e.g., voice or call, short messaging system (SMS) or text modes as well as online communication like chat, online forum and email. The FCC not only answers queries on agricultural technologies, market prices, farm pests and diseases and other agricultural related information but it also disseminates information like tips on farming technologies through text broadcasting.  However, the services of the FCC are not maximized because the clients are not availing the FCC services either because they are not aware of it or they don't prefer to avail the services of the FCC. Likewise, queries received through the FCC were mostly e-Learning related. This is because of an absence of a separate communication and advocacy plan specifically for the main services of the FCC - the farm and business advisory services. Since there is a lack of emphasis on the services of the FCC in the promotions done in the regions, farmers don't appreciate or see the need for the FCC but rather prefer the traditional mode of extension worker. Further, there is little support from the DA agencies and commodity banner programs on the FCC because there is no appreciation and involvement from these stakeholders in terms of what's in it for the to be part of the FCC.  Hence, this Re-Entry Project aims to make the FCC a center providing citizen-centric services to the farmers/fishers and extension worker through the provision of farm and business advisory services. It intended to develop a comprehensive communication and advocacy plan so that its services will be maximized with more farmers and extension workers accessing the FCC for their information needs on agriculture and fisheries. A communication and advocacy framework was developed through a series of regional consultation workshops with the stakeholders coupled with key informant interviews and focused group discussions. The stakeholders who participated in the activities comprised of 187 extension workers and farmers and 212 stakeholders from the DA agencies, local government units, private sector and the civil society, respectively. The communication and advocacy framework shall be the basis in the formulation of region-based communication plans for the FCC
ER  -