FPA inks partnerships to strengthen workforce

MANILA, Philippines — The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has sealed partnerships with various groups to advance the capabilities of its technical workforce.

The FPA signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Philippine Association of Certified Pesticide Applicators (PACPA), PMCP Foundation Inc. (PMCPFI), the Philippine Association of Entomologists Inc. (PAE), the Philippine Association of Professional Fumigators Inc. (PAPFI), and the Kapisanan ng mga Pest Control Operators sa Pilipinas Inc. (KAPESCOPI).

The MOU signifies renewed partnership in the conduct of education and training programs for agricultural certified pesticide applicators, accredited responsible care officers (ARCO), fertilizer, pesticide, and veterinary researchers.

It outlines the interested parties’ shared responsibility for training management.

Under the deal, the FPA will monitor the proceedings of the training course and give its evaluation afterwards.

The FPA will also set the annual meeting with the training associations to discuss among others the outcome of the previous year’s training activities, agreed on the schedule of trainings and symposia of the current year and plans that will improve the conduct of the trainings.

For the training programs, the association will prepare the needed materials, manuals and supplies, including certificates and other paraphernalia needs.

Also part of their obligations is to evaluate the participants’ training performance based on the criteria set forth by FPA and submit a training report which shall include the following: program, resource speakers, and financial report, a month after the training has been conducted.

Last year, 3,433 accreditation cards have been issued, of which 2,198 were for ASD, 324 for ARCO, 773 for Agricultural CPA, and 138 for researchers.