New technologies for better agri produce bared

December 2, 2017 Community Billboard

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET – The provincial government conducted a tree-day seminar about new technologies and researches that will improve the yield of strawberry, coffee, potato and native pig farmers as well as the small and micro enterprises (SME’s) in the province.
The techno-forum spearheaded by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and its Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) and the Highland Agricultural, Aquatic and Resource Research and Development Consortium (HAARRDEC) highlights the technology and innovations on potato, sweet potato, strawberry, coffee, native pigs, including ornaments and other vegetables found in the province.
The activity is facilitated by the Farms and Industry Encounter through the Science and Technology Agenda (FIESTA) during the celebration of 117th Benguet Foundation Anniversary and the 12th Adivay Festival.
Melvin Carlos, chief science research specialist of the DOST, said HAARRDEC has a nationwide activity which aimed to equip the stakeholders specially the farmers and the small and micro entrepreneurs to the new trends and technologies that will open infinite possibilities of achieving the abundance and prosperity of life in the agriculture industry.
He said that in order to boost the future of the agriculture industry, they have to provide appropriate venues for an effective science and technology encounter for the farming industry.
The first of the three-day activity talked about the techno-forum on potato with specific topics on disease-free planting materials and seed production, management of cyst nemotode and bacterial wilt using trichoderma and disease management, that will surely improve the quality of the produce.
The second day had a coffee cupping and technology exhibit as well as a market encounter, for an actual encounter with the available resources and technologies.
The speakers also talked about clean planting materials, disease management and processing for the sweet potato, availability of different varieties of strawberry, tissue culture and clean planting materials including lectures on the topic of management of soil borne diseases using trichoderma, insect pest management and processing. ZALDY COMANDA / ABN