PRESS RELEASE: DOST-PCAARRD turns over product display stalls to empowered community in EV, Siquijor

Turnover of stalls to the Bitaug Small Coconut Farmers Association for the display of their fresh agricultural product yield. (DOST Siquijor photo) 

The Bitaug Small Coconut Farmers Association (BISMACOFA) now has stalls for their fresh agricultural product yields as one unit of stall for each of the four “puroks” of Bitaug, Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor, were turned over to the association by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST – PCAARRD) through Siquijor State College (SSC) and DOST Siquijor Provincial S&T Center (PSTC) at Siquijor State College Covered Court recently.

Dubbed as “Lataran sa Kaumahan,” the stalls are expected to showcase fresh commodities from BISMACOFA’s Techno Demo Farm, communal gardens, native chicken farm, etc. which are projects under the S&T Community-based Program for Inclusive Development (STC4iD) of DOST-PCAARRD.

It will also showcase products from its peanut production and vermicomposting farms under the Community Empowerment Thru Science and Technology Program of DOST 7 through DOST Siquijor PSTC,  Chicken Egg Layer Farm under the Integrated Livelihood Enhancement of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and coconut products under the planting program of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), among other projects. 

All of these are under a signed Memorandum of Agreement on the Convergence of Services of SSC, Barangay Local Government Unit of Bitaug and national government agencies such as DOST Siquijor PSTC, DOLE, Department of Trade and Industry, and PCA in Siquijor for Sustainable Community-Based Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Livelihood Enhancement and Development (SCAANR-LED) Program of Bitaug, Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor led by SSC and under the STC4iD Program of DOST in cooperation with the municipal and provincial governments along with BISMACOFA. 

Some of the commodities already sold from the said projects were eggs, string beans, eggplant, okra, squash, chili, melon, peanut, “pechay”, tambuli, red bulb onion, vermicast, ampalaya, spring onions, etc. 

BISMACOFA is expected to sell other agricultural products in the future such as seedlings/saplings and native chicken chicks for aspiring growers, coco products, and fruits, etc.

Aside from funded projects to produce commodities which will be displayed in the stalls, free capacity-building trainings and seminars were also given by the cooperating agencies and government units. 

The latest development is the ongoing scholarship grant course in Organic Fertilizer Production (Organic Agriculture Production) NC II from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Siquijor (TESDA – Siquijor) for the acquisition of Certificate of Compliance of 35 members of the association. 

The scholarship  supports the group in the management of projects of DOST and other NGAs and the LGU with SSC under the convergence of services and supervision of the STC4iD team of DOST for Siquijor. 

They are comprised of personnel and experts from SSC, DOST-PCAARRD, and municipal and provincial governments in close coordination with the concerned and supporting agencies and offices. (Engr. Joelline Ann Ates, SRA&IO-designate, DOST Siquijor PSTC S&T Media Service)