19/08/2026
CRAO Leads ADB-Funded Training, Partners with ATI to Train LGUs on Climate-Resilient Agricultural Planning
QUEZON CITY โ The Department of Agriculture Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (DA-CRAO) is leading a nationwide training of trainers (TOT) series under an Asian Development Bank (ADB) Technical Assistance program. To ensure these climate-resilient planning methods reach the grassroots level, CRAO has invited the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) to serve as the core training partners who will eventually roll out these systems to municipal and provincial local government units (LGUs).
The training program, titled "Integrating AMIA Decision Support Tools (DSTs) in Development Planning," is a major component of the project Accelerating Climate Resilience in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environment (ANRE). This effort is implemented in partnership with SEAMEO SEARCA, UPLBFI, and EcoSecurities, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR).
The training is divided into two separate sessions. Batch 1, representing the Luzon regions, will be held from August 17 to 20, 2026, at the Sequoia Hotel and the B Hotel in Quezon City. Meanwhile, Batch 2, which covers the Visayas and Mindanao regions, is scheduled on August 24 to 27, 2026.
The primary goal of this TOT is to equip agricultural planners and regional trainers from the DA and ATI with the knowledge and facilitation skills necessary to use climate datasets effectively. By learning how to navigate and interpret these tools, participants will be able to lead future capacity-building activities for local planners and decision-makers.
Key learning outcomes of the program focus on understanding the strategic direction of DAโs flagship climate programs under CRAO and the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA). Participants also learn to use major decision support tools, such as the Climate Risk Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA), the National Color-Coded Agricultural Guide (NCCAG) map, and the Climate Information Service (CIS). Through these, trainers develop the skills necessary to run local planning workshops and translate vulnerability assessments into actionable investment proposals.
During the opening sessions, Dir. Agnes Catherine T. Miranda, CESO III, Director of DA-CRAO, explained that the program aims to shift local agricultural planning toward long-term climate responsiveness.
"It is no longer enough to ask what we should plant," Director Miranda told participants. "We must ask where we should plant, whether those locations remain suitable under changing climate conditions, and if our investments will remain viable over the long term."
The training design focuses on helping planners apply this climate lens across the entire agricultural value chainโfrom pre-production inputs to post-harvest processing and market delivery. This planning approach ensures that agricultural investments are structurally protected against climate risks.
The training program is structured to maximize practical learning, combining interactive lectures, hands-on planning workshops, and open Q&A sessions.
During the workshops, participants practice navigating CRVA outputs for selected provinces, developing crop proposals, and drafting local resolutions to help local government units (LGUs) adopt these tools. Following the training, these regional and ATI representatives will serve as the core trainers responsible for rolling out the decision support systems to municipal and provincial planners nationwide. # #