WESVARRDEC hosts first TG summit

By Cora F. Navarra, Ph.D., Capiz State University, RACG Coordinator

With reports from Vishia Tolcidas, Niño Manaog & Sally Villasis

Science and technology in every product.

This was the theme of the first Regional Techno Gabay (TG) Summit and Technomart hosted by the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) on May 25–26, 2011 at the Amigo Plaza Mall on Iznart Street in Iloilo City.

To promote the products of its member institutions and farmers centers across the region, and link them to bigger markets, WESVARRDEC led by Director Joseph Edward Idemne, the coordinators and staff, assisted by some 15 partner member agencies (PMAs) and their Farmers Information & Technology Services (FITS) centers, showcased for two days some 80 products and technologies from the FITS centers and Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) or the farmer scientists of Western Visayas.

The regional initiative has been fully backed by WESVARRDEC's mother agency, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) under the leadership of Executive Director Patricio Faylon.

And supported by one of its consortium member agencies, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 6 led by Regional Executive Director Rowen Gelonga, the summit drew some 200 participants from the different partner member agencies across Western Visayas in a two-day expo which also featured technology and business forums for farmers, extension workers, researchers and the general public.

Products and technologies from the participating FITS Centers were featured in the booths of PMAs, namely: Aklan State University, Capiz State University, Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, Agricultural Training Institute Region 6, Bureau of Plant Industry - National Mango Research and Development Center, Central Philippine University, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 6, Guimaras State College, Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College, Philippine Coconut Authority Region 6, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, West Negros College Research and Development Foundation, Inc., University of Antique, University of the Philippines Visayas and the West Visayas State University.

In a farmers’ forum, WESVARRDEC featured MS Rebecca C. Tubongbanua of FITS OPA Guimaras who shared her skill in mango processing technology and business and MS Ramon D. Peñalosa, Jr. of FITS OPA Negros Occidental who shared, among others, his farming practices and practical wisdom in integrated natural farming systems.

In the business forum, WESVARRDEC featured representatives from a number of local and national business organizations. Mr. Emmanuel Reyes of the Philippine Food Processors & Exporters Organization (Philfoodex) briefed participants on market matching; Mr. Robert Gasparello, program manager of the Negros Island Certification Services (NICERT) shared on organic product certification, and Engr. Reynaldo Ambao, director of the Taytay sa Kauswagan, Inc., spoke on product development.

Professor Cesar Frias, assistant director of PCARRD's Applied Communication Division briefed the participants on the Technomart modality bannered by PCARRD, while Dr. Emelyn Flores, DOST 6’s assistant regional director for technical operations, promoted their S&T assistance for micro, small and medium enterprises.

Highlighting the TG summit was the Techno Gabay Awards, which gave recognition and prizes to outstanding Magsasaka Siyentista, Techno Gabay Team Leader and Regional Applied Communication Group Representative. This year’s TG Awards also recognized the best FITS Center and Best Partner Member Agency (See separate article for the awards).

International food expo features MS Tubongbanua's mango processed products

Dr. Cora F. Navarra

RAC Coordinator

During the 2011 International Food Exhibits (IFEX) Philippines held May 12-14 at the SMX Mall of Asia in Pasay City, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) showcased the mango sauce and mango catsup of Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Rebecca Tubongbanua of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC).

MS Tubongbanua belongs to the FITS OPA Guimaras, WESVARRDEC's partner member agency.

Other consortia products featured in the PCARRD-DOST booth were the pili oil and other pili-based food preparations from the Bicol Consortium of Agriculture Resources Research and Development (BCARRD); the coco sap sugar, coco sap syrup, frozen durian and durian jam of Southern Mindanao Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMARRDEC); and the strawberry jam by Highlands Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium (HARRDEC).

During the exhibits, free tasting of the mango catsup, strawberry jam, durian jam, and coco sap syrup elicited positive responses from the visitors and generated some sales of the products.

IFEX also featured foreign-owned food products and technologies and equipment for food manufacturing and packaging.

Part of the exhibition was a mango- eat-all-you-can done across the three-day expo. Guimaras mango was ordered by the Center for International Trade and Exhibitions and Missions (CITEM), event's lead sponsor.

Complementing PCARRD’s TechnoMart, a modality that bridges S&T-based products from the consortia through business mentoring and market matching, this year's IFEX allowed for consortia's MSs to bring their S&T-based products to bigger markets.

FITS Dumalag’s new facilities launched

By Isaac Abello

RAC Staff

It's a bigger and better Dumalag FITS Center.

After some nine months of construction and refurbishing of their facilities, the officials and personnel of the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in Dumalag, Capiz led the inauguration and blessing of their new facilities on May 4, 2011 in Poblacion, Dumalag, Capiz.

The new facilities are a two-room dormitory for male and female, a Training Hall that can accommodate 100 persons, and an 8m x 10 m Display Center which houses their bamboo products, vegetable and crops. Now, FITS Dumalag also boasts of the two refurbished offices, namely: the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist and the office of the Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries Council (MAFC).

Backed by Dumalag Mayor Lilia Castro, FITS Manager Ronelyn De Tomas welcomed some 200 guests representing 16 barangays of Dumalag town including farmers, government personnel, 4-H Club members and ordinary townsfolk. FITS Manager Ronelyn De Tomas attributed the achievement to the full support that FITS Center enjoys with a number of agencies and offices.

After De Tomas urged the farmers to patronize and maximize the use of these facilities, she thanked the agencies who helped and provided various types of assistance to FITS Center Dumalag—including PCARRD-DOST, WESVARRDEC, DTI Capiz and the Capiz State University, its partner member agency. De Tomas credited the full support of Vice-Mayor Eriberto Castro, chairman on agriculture Leo Teves and MAFC Chairman Noe Fantilaga and the entire personnel of Department of agriculture detailed in Dumalag.

The efforts and initiative of the center were well lauded by WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne, Provincial Board Member Emile Ardivilla, DTI Capiz Director Ermelinda Pollentes and Techno Gabay Coordinator Anna Mae Relingo, who witnessed the said rites.

According to WESVARRDEC Director Idemne and RTGP Coordinator Relingo, FITS Dumalag ranks top in the FITS centers list, being equipped with a training hall, dormitory and display center. For its big number of activities and involvements in the consortium work in the past two years, the officials recommended the Center for nomination in the Best FITS Center in the Techno Gabay Awards this year.

For his part, Techno Gabay Team Leader Eduardo Navarra of the Capiz State University takes pride in the Center’s full involvement in the engineered bamboo, now considered a promising commodity nationwide. According to Navarra, regional and national PMAs are interested in visiting FITS Dumalag to see and learn firsthand the engineered bamboo technology of its Magsasaka Siyentista Randy Fancubila. Anytime soon, Capiz State University will facilitate said initiatives for the FITS Center.

Other representatives came from the DTI Capiz, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) Region VI, Capiz State University and Pioneer Hybrid Seed Company.

BIGGER AND BETTER

The new facilities include (clockwise from left) a display center which houses

their bamboo products, vegetable and crops, dormitory for male and female

and a Training Hall that can accommodate 100 persons.

ICT equipment awarded to FITS Jamindan

By Isaac Abello

RAC Staff

On May 10, 2011, WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne turned over the information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to the personnel of the FITS Center based in Jamindan, Capiz.

One unit of Acer desktop and its accessories plus printer and other related devices were received by FITS Manager Remedios Llamelo and Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Igmedio Llamelo at the WESVARRDEC office at UP Visayas in General Luna St., Iloilo City.

According to Regional Management Information System (RMIS) Coordinator Nilo Araneta, the provision of ICT equipment will “help enhance the delivery of services of the FITS Center to farmer beneficiaries.”

The new equipment will also facilitate easy access to and production of needed IEC materials, technology updates and other similar resources to be sourced from the said municipality.