Four test engineers from the UPLB Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC) joined the 7th Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) of the Asian Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM) as participants and resource speakers last December 6-11, 2024 in Sarlahi, Nawalpur, Nepal. 

The six-day training program focused on the demonstration of test items from the ANTAM Codes on Power Tillers (001-2023) and Mini Tillers (001a-2023), and other testing practices performed by the host country. Engr. Marie Jehosa B. Reyes and Engr. Jerson Jose T. Menguito was part of the pool of resource persons, while Engr. Melvin T. Baldrias and Engr. Franklin C. Pajaron joined the delegates from 15 participating nations.

In its seventh ToT, the training was organized by the Centre Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) with the Agricultural Machinery Testing and Research Centre of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council. 

It was also in collaboration with the China Agricultural Mechanization Center (CAMC), the Indian Council for Agricultural  Research (ICAR), and the Philippines’ UPLB Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC) which provided technical support during the training.

Engr. Reyes and Engr. Menguito served as resource speakers for various test procedures on power tiller and mini tiller testing based on the ANTAM code for power tillers. Reyes, who is also the managing engineer of AMTEC’s Agricultural Machinery Testing and Studies (AMaTS) laboratory, also presented essential topics on the management and operation of the testing center. Meanwhile, Menguito discussed the vital instruments used for the testing of the power tillers and mini tillers.

Nepal’s hosting marked a historic event for both the regional organization and the nation as the youngest testing station among the member countries of ANTAM. Its relatively young experience, however, provided a good avenue for a knowledge-sharing and co-learning experience among the delegates. 

UPLB AMTEC, as an active member of the network is committed to not only participating in various activities of ANTAM but also providing technical assistance to other member nations. After the weeklong event, the participants are expected to apply to their national counterparts the training outcomes, in line with the goal of harmonizing the test codes used in the region.