THE Department of Science and Technology Ilocos Region (DOST-1), through its Smart Agriculture for Resilient Agriculture-based Innovations (Sarai) unit, continues to strengthen the foundation for data-driven agricultural development through a series of Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) and planning workshops conducted with partner local government units (LGUs) across the region.
These critical workshops were successfully held in the cities of San Fernando, Batac, and Candon on Oct. 29, Nov. 5, and Nov. 6, 2025, respectively. Attended by local farmers, City Agriculturists, and Agriculture Extension Workers, these gatherings provided a vital platform for validating on-the-ground data, including specific cropping calendars and yield patterns.
Participants openly discussed pressing challenges, such as climate concerns and market pressures, ensuring that Sarai’s implementation strategies accurately reflect the localized realities experienced by the community daily. In response, the Sarai team presented advanced digital tools and decision-support systems, demonstrating how satellite data and analytics can significantly improve field-level monitoring.
Each session concluded with a collaborative planning workshop to identify priority areas where these technologies can deliver immediate impact. These validated outputs now serve as the bedrock for a comprehensive, evidence-based roadmap. By grounding its approach in real conditions, DOST Sarai Ilocos Region ensures that its programs remain practical, results-oriented, and capable of empowering farmers and LGUs toward a smarter, more resilient agricultural future.