TARLAC CITY, Philippines – The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office III (DOST Central Luzon), in partnership with the Provincial Government of Tarlac, successfully conducted the Training on the Use of Smart Agriculture Technologies for the Local Government Units in the Province of Tarlac from June 22–24, 2026 at the Old Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Hall, Provincial Capitol Building, Tarlac City. The three-day capacity-building activity brought together Municipal and City Agriculture Office personnel and other local government representatives to strengthen their capabilities in utilizing the technologies developed under the Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines (SARAI) System.

The activity forms part of the continuing implementation of the DOST Smart and Innovative Agriculture (SINAG) Project, which promotes the adoption of digital and science-based technologies to modernize the Philippine agriculture sector. Through the partnership between DOST Central Luzon and the Provincial Government of Tarlac—one of the local government partners of SARAI Centro Central Luzon—participants were introduced to a suite of decision-support technologies designed to improve agricultural planning, extension services, and climate-informed farming.

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏: 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐈 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐆 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐮𝐛
The training opened with welcome messages from DOST Central Luzon and the Provincial Government of Tarlac, highlighting the importance of science, technology, and innovation in strengthening local agricultural services. Participants were introduced to the DOST SINAG Project and the SARAI Centro Central Luzon initiative, providing an overview of the project's objectives and the role of local governments in its implementation. The afternoon session focused on navigating the DOST SINAG Virtual Hub, where participants explored the platform's interface, features, and digital resources through guided hands-on exercises. The orientation equipped LGU personnel with the foundational knowledge needed to maximize the platform in delivering timely and science-based agricultural information to farmers.

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐: 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
The second day emphasized the practical application of SARAI System technologies through a series of technical lectures and demonstrations. Participants learned the basic functions and installation of Google Earth Engine (GEE), followed by discussions on digitizing agricultural monitoring using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and historical satellite data. They also explored agricultural monitoring using remote sensing technologies, enabling them to appreciate how geospatial information can support crop assessment, resource management, and evidence-based agricultural planning at the local level.

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟑: 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
The final day focused on translating scientific data into actionable information for farmers and stakeholders. Participants underwent training on the development of crop advisories, learning how to interpret available agricultural and environmental data to produce localized recommendations for farm management. They also participated in sessions on agricultural communication, emphasizing effective strategies for presenting technical information in ways that are understandable and useful to farming communities. The workshop concluded with the presentation of participants' outputs, post-training evaluation, awarding of certificates, and closing messages reaffirming the commitment of DOST Central Luzon and the Provincial Government of Tarlac to advancing smart and climate-resilient agriculture.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
The successful conduct of the training demonstrates the strong collaboration between DOST Central Luzon, SARAI Centro Central Luzon, and the Provincial Government of Tarlac in bringing innovative agricultural technologies closer to local government units. By equipping agricultural extension workers with competencies in geospatial technologies, remote sensing, digital agriculture platforms, and science communication, the initiative strengthens the capacity of LGUs to deliver timely, data-driven, and climate-responsive services to farmers.

As the Philippines continues to embrace digital transformation in agriculture, initiatives such as this reinforce DOST's commitment to empowering local governments with innovative tools and technologies that contribute to increased agricultural productivity, improved resilience to climate variability, and sustainable rural development.