"The upland farmer faces a very dark future unless something can be done for him very soon.  He is the least educated, least hopeful and the most neglected in agricultural development of all people in the Philippines." 

- Harold R. Watson, 1985 Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient

"Erosion is not an invisible disease stalking the land in search of soil to destroy, but is, in fact, a foreseeable ecological response to inappropriate land use and management." 

- Soil scientist T. F. Shaxson

"A nation without soil is effectively bankrupt.  A nation with appropriate land use patterns and farming techniques, where erosion has been controlled and contained, is poised on the spring-board of development." 

- Food and Agriculture Organization

The MBRLC believes that one of the practical ways of helping develop the countryside is through the training courses on simple farming technologies. The following courses are available:

Farming Systems/Crops

• Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT 1)
Simple Agro-Livestock Technology (SALT 2)
• Sustainable Agroforest Land Technology (SALT 3)
• Small Agrofruit Livelihood Technology (SALT 4)
• Food Always In The Home (FAITH) Gardening
• Fruit Trees Production (durian, rambutan, lanzones, mangosteen, calamansi, Barbados cherry, etc.)
• Sexual and Asexual propagation of Plants
• Growing Seeds for Hedgerows
• Growing Coffee and Cacao
• Growing Bamboo, Rattan, and Trees
• Growing Vegetables (eggplant, tomato, okra, squash, beans, etc.)

Livestock, Fish and Poultry 

• Raising Tilapia
• Raising Chicken (layers and broilers)
• Raising Goats and Rabbits
• Making Livestock Ration

Number of Participants
To give closer supervision to individual trainees and to provide more time for "hands-on" training, only 25-35 participants are allowed in a class or group.

Trainers
The trainers/resource persons are composed of a team of experienced staff members of the MBRLC.

Training Procedures
Generally, the training will be dialogic and experiential. The training will have lectures (25%) but emphasis would be on "hands-on" in the fields, barns, and pens (75%).

Financial Requirements
When training dates are confirmed, a down payment of P50.00 per person is required (payable to the MBRLC).  This down payment confirms the schedule.  Full payment will be made at the last day of the training proper. The trainees themselves are responsible for all transportation, health care and other sundry expenses incurred during the training.  Below are the financial requirements.  Please take note that prices here are subject to change without prior notice.  Also, food for the group may be negotiated with a caterer (P175-P200 per day, inclusive of three meals and two snacks).

• Training fee
  P40/person/day
• Lodging fee*
  P50/person/day
• Training Certificate
  P20/person
• Instructional materials
  P30/person
• Field trip transportation**
  P200-P600/group
• Seeds/Planting materials**
  P500/person
• Contour hedge species
  P250/person

Center's House Rules 

• Smoking, drinking of alcoholic beverages and gambling are strictly not allowed.
• The center is NOT responsible for loss of any articles belonging to the trainees.  Contact the business office if you have some belongings for safekeeping.
• For safety's sake, only flashlights are allowed for extra lighting.
• No picking of fruits, flowers, leaves, etc.
• No writing or posting of bills on walls, benches, posts, beds, barns, trees, etc.
• Throw your garbage and other trashes to the trash cans.
• A curfew hour is observed from 9:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.