Published November 23, 2022 by CIO
The three-day capacity building initiated by CHED-NAFES, and ISU in partnership with CSU concludes today, November 23 at CSU-Gonzaga wherein members of the CAMBASSS Agrarian Reform Cooperative and San Jose Fisherfolk Association were given hands-on training in Meat Processing, Packaging, Labelling and Silage Technology Production.
The training is part of a series of capacity building activities for the Extension project entitled, ‘Development of Sustainable Livestock-Based Rural Enterprises in Cagayan Valley: An A CHED-ISU-LGU- Industry partnership in technology commercialization and entrepreneurship development,’ a tie-up between ISU and CSU with CHED-NAFES as funding agency.
Present in the event was Prof. Anna Marie Bahala, CHED-NAFES Program Leader; Dr. William Medrano, Retired Agriculture Undersecretary and speaker on Hands on Silage production; Dr. Pedrita Medrano, Speaker for Meat Processing Enterprise and Livelihood Development; Mr. Benigno Supranes head of CAMBASS cooperative; Mr. Vivencio Agcaoili, head of the San Jose Fisherfolks Association; Research and Extension team of CSU Gonzaga headed by Dr. Froilan A. Pacris, Jr., the Project Leader of CSU and Dr. Romar Banadero, Project Support Staff; Ms. Jean Torres, RDE staff and speaker on Packaging and Labeling.
In the training, the participants learned from the lectures of speakers and did hands-on processing of Longganisa and Embutido and silage production.
The Extension project aims to develop livelihoods and rural enterprises among small holder livestock and poultry raisers/farmers to increase income, achieve food and nutrition security and poverty alleviation in Cagayan Valley Region. In the ten components of the project, CSU-Gonzaga implemented Sheep and Chicken Technology Promotion and Commercialization towards Rural Enterprise Development to the identified beneficiaries.
Last February 2022, the Program and Project Team began surveying qualified cooperatives and associations in Gonzaga, Cagayan and coordinated the project to Barangay Captains. After the beneficiaries were identified, they were organized in an inception meeting. Months after, series of dialogues with members, officers and BOD of cooperative and association were held, including orientation, mainstreaming and strengthening of the farmers’ cooperative for enterprise development through capacity building for Chicken, Sheep and Herd Management were held at Cabiraoan, Gonzaga, Cagayan.
Select members of the association were also distributed Sheep and Chickens to rear.
In the opening program of the training, Dr. William Medrano expressed his gratitude to CSU-Gonzaga particularly to CEO Pacris, his former student and now a partner in the project. He expressed his confidence that the project will surely go on well through his leadership.
Source and photos: Campus RDE office