Monday, June 23, 2014

DA Caraga Empowers Women through Livelihood Training


Tandag City, Surigao del Sur - Recognizing the role of women in nation building, the Department of Agriculture Caraga conducted series of livelihood training for Rural 
Improvement Club (RIC) and 4H members and Extension Workers in the region.



The AgriPinoy Corn Program is currently promoting value adding products utilizing cassava through cooking demo livelihood training in which the second batch was held in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur last June 17, 2014.

Similar training was also conducted late last year in Butuan City and more training are currently on the pipeline.

Participants were taught how to cook various cassava recipes such as pudding, cheese, hagik-hik (suman), toron and pitchi-pitchi.

Regional Corn Program Coordinator Abel Wagas emphasized that food processing is an opportunity for the farmer’s wives and the women in general to help augment the income of the family.

He urged the participants to strengthen their associations to engage in cassava food processing wherein ready market is just around in the locality such as restaurants, canteens and more.

A participant expressed amazement after learning that cassava can be processed into more mouth tantalizing menu and vowed to add cassava recipes during special occasions or gatherings.

Cassava is a healthy food alternative.  Cassava roots are a rich source of carbohydrates which is an energy source.  It is generally considered to have a high content of dietary fiber, magnesium, sodium, riboflavin, thiamin, nicotinic acid, and citrate.

Cassava is traditionally utilized as food source in broiled, steamed and boiled forms. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA CARAGA Information Section)

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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Marketing of Corn Produce Now on Social Media

Provincial Manager Gil Tabor of NFA Agusan del Sur discussed 
the Enhanced Electronic Trading System for Corn (EETS-Corn) 
during the Orientation on Credit Policies, Programs and Projects 
for Corn and Cassava conducted by the AgriPinoy Corn 
Program of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 13 
participated by corn and cassava farmers associations 
and LGU corn coordinators.
Butuan City - As the technology is fast-paced nowadays, farmers can sell their produce through the social media.

This is through the web-based trading system called Enhanced Electronic Trading System for Corn (EETS-Corn) implemented thru the National Food Authority (NFA).

Provincial Manager Gil Tabor of NFA Agusan del Sur said that EETS will provide commodity trading for buyers and sellers and information exchange through a network of trading centers linked electronically with each other through the internet.

With this mechanism, he said corn farmers can link with their market at the right place and the right time for better prices.

EETS for Corn was introduced as an initial project of the Agricultural Commodity Exchange System (ACES) to support farmers, directly or indirectly, to attain better income opportunities by providing market information updates, promoting more efficient system of post-harvest, processing and marketing, and educating farmers in the workings of the market thus preparing them for the realities of global competition.

The program was initially piloted in four areas in the country specifically Isabela for Regions 1 and 2), General Santos for Regions 11 and 12, Bukidnon for Region 10 and Quezon City for Regions 3,4 and Metro Manila.

However, Tabor said that Caraga farmers can avail the program by visiting the nearest NFA Offices for proper guidelines with minimum produce of 100 bags and should be locally grown and must pass the quality parameter.(Aurelius P. Arais/Info Section DA CARAGA)


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