Gemma Calleja demonstrating how to make "Seaweed Shing-a-ling"
(seaweed chips).
DILIMAN, Quezon City — Passionate and knowledgeable — these are what described the resource persons of the Agricultural Training Institute’s simultaneous free seminars today, March 2, 2017. Thus, they shared their expertise and encouraged the participants to undertake businesses in various fields in agriculture and fisheries.
“Our family started cultivating seaweeds when my father first attended a training conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. He was just given pamphlets but he was eager to start a business, so he told me. We started making pickles because that was the easiest thing to do without machineries. Then we moved to making more products out of seaweeds like noodles,” shared Gemma Cajella of Catalina Women Association in Misamis Oriental. She added that they likewise had their share of mishaps, but because they were assisted and supported by the local government and BFAR, their business thrived.
The morning sessions comprised of lectures on Virgin Coconut Oil Processing, Vegetable and Fruit Puree, Honey Bee Production and Processing. While in the afternoon, topics on Making Bags out of Water Hyacinth, Seaweed Processing, and Herbal Soap Making were covered.
Apart from the lectures, there were also demonstrations and open fora where participants ardently asked questions. A mixed number of guests attended the seminars: government workers, employees from the private sector, students, non-government organizations, and members of Rural Improvement Clubs from the various regions in the Philippines.
The walk-in and registered participants as well came from various places such as General Santos, Davao, Benguet, Pangasinan, Laguna, Cavite, Las Pinas, and some parts of Manila. In total, almost 500 participants came to learn about different agricultural businesses.
A special session on Urban Gardening was also conducted by Eduardo Paningbatan, where he discussed how vegetables could be cultivated through “Enriched Potting Preparation.” Tomorrow, March 3, 2016, participants from RICs in the region will have an expository tour at the Duran Farm in Bulacan.