Category: Training Center

After months of preparation which included many over-time hours put in by a dedicated team of workers to complete the construction of various infrastructure and facilities, the Goducate Training Center (GTC) in San Miguel Iloilo Philippines was officially opened on 11th February, Saturday.

About 20 guests from Singapore had arrived in Iloilo the previous night and after a restful stay at a hotel in town, we packed up and moved to the GTC staff housing on Saturday morning. The official program started at 10 am sharp with the singing of the National Anthems of the Philippines and Singapore, and carried on smoothly with speeches by the Governor, and by Dr Paul Choo, founder of Goducate. Also in attendance at this important occasion were the other directors of Goducate, country representatives as well as the Mayor of San Miguel, Iloilo.

The ribbon cutting and the unveiling were no doubt some of the highlights. Several hundred guests were invited to partake of a beautiful, delicious buffet lunch prepared by our own staff, who had gone through intensive training both in the GTC and also in Singapore!

The afternoon activities were designed to be fun and educational at the same time, and many guests stayed on. The young and the brave at heart took rides on the zipline, and there were opportunities for mango harvesting, as well as sampling the freshest produce off the plants, all grown organically!

Certificates were also presented to a big group of farmers who had successfully undergone training to improve their crop production and learnt and applied efficient methods of farming. Our agriculture consultant, Professor Ric, spent hours with various guests, introducing us to hydroponics, container gardening, and even helped us with tilapia fishing. The sheep, though, were a bit shy and ran away from us!

With the pomp and the ceremony behind us and the departure of the VIPs, the Goducate Training Center and its dedicated staff could now look forward to the real work of training and helping needy Asians help themselves in the weeks and months ahead.

View video clip of the Grand Opening!

At the Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, Philippines, our agriculture team is modelling a rice-fish farming system in support of Goducate’s “GoFeed” mandate. The results, so far, are promising. The agronomic performance of the rice plants are impressive and the fish are progressively increasing in size and weight.

Popularly known as rice-fish culture, this technique is significant for its symbiotic relationship feature. The fish eat insect pests, fertilize the plants with their droppings, and aid in oxygen circulation. In turn, the rice plants provide shade to the fish, protect the fish from predators, and supply supplemental feeds through decaying leaves.

Two rice plots, approximately 600 sq m each, were prepared by digging perimeter trenches measuring two meters wide and one meter deep. The trenches serve as refuge for the fish during intermittent draining of the ricefield. After planting, each plot was separately stocked with 1,000 fingerlings of Nile tilapia (Tilapia nilotica) and African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Starter feeds were given for the first month. After that floater feeds were supplied.

Our visitors have seen the practical and replicable aspects of the rice-fish model. The major requirement to succeed in this technology, however, is reliable water supply. A distinct advantage at GTC is the presence of a water impounding project which ensures the technical feasibility of integrating fish with rice throughout the year.

There is empiricial evidence that rice-fish culture can increase rice yield up to 10%. Aside from supplying the staple and protein needs of the household, it also has the potential to produce a net farm income that is about five times more than what a farmer usually realizes from rice monoculture.

The official opening of Goducate Training Center (GTC) in Iloilo, Philippines, on Feb 11 is fast approaching and our team is working hard to get the place ready.

The Governor of Iloilo has accepted our invitation to be our Guest of Honor and the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines will be officiate at the opening of our Hydroponics and Container Gardening Center.

Goducate operates in Cambodia, Malaysia, China, Philippines, and Indonesia, and its country heads, project leaders, and the headquarters team will also be at the Opening. After the Opening, they will stay back for 3 days of meetings to plan for 2012. After this meeting, the new intake for 2012 will begin their training.

Many new facilities are being completed (we hope) in time for the opening — the Children’s Waterpark, the motor-pool and workshop, additional staff housing, etc.

The faculty housing has also been completed. This is a complex of 4 units that will house our faculty (full-time and visiting faculty) who will come from many different countries.

We hope that we will have not only an Official Opening but also the start of a whole new era for Goducate as our leaders from different countries dream BIG to help needy Asians help themselves.