The Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) collaborative project of Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University and Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 1 returns home to serve La Union BP2 recipients with training on agricultural production and food processing technologies. Now on its third stop in the Region, the training was held at the Santo Tomas and Rosario facilities of the South La Union Campus on April 20-22, 2022.

Divided into the usual agricultural production and food processing components, the training utilized the College of Fisheries Function Hall in Santo Tomas for the lectures on the production technologies available for vegetable, mushroom, goat, and chicken. These were excellently shared on the first day by agriculture experts Mr. Ferdinand Navarro, Ms. Cherisse May Hayohay, Mr. Terson Casi, and Mr. Russel Barrameda. Navarro highlighted that “vegetable production is a profitable business enterprise and has the earning potential throughout the year, it has the potential to generate more income and employment with small capital.”

The College of Agriculture Food Processing Laboratory in Rosario welcomed the participants on the second and third days for the training and demonstration on bangus deboning and marinating, mushroom processing, longanisa making, tomato processing, chili oil production, and egg processing technologies. These were delivered by food processing experts Mr. Cjay B. Soliven, Ms. Joana Marie E. Abanes, Ms. Erlinda Q. Balancio, Ms. Eden P. Borce, and Prof. Anabella G. Valdez.

On the role of food processing training programs, Prof. Valdez shared: “this is one way to disseminate relevant and updated knowledge in food technology to help enhance the business, livelihood projects of individuals or associations in order to solve unemployment, generate employment and uplift the standards of living in the community.”

The La Union leg of the BP2 trainings was attended in by 12 participants who hail from the towns of Agoo, Balaoan, Santo Tomas, San Juan, and the City of San Fernando. Present during the training were Prof. Victoria N. Malaya, project leader of DMMMSU BP2, Mrs. Rhoda Galban, Senior Agriculturist from the DA-RFO1, Mr. Ronald B. Bustos, Head for Extension of the South La Union Campus, and the hardworking members of the BP2 training secretariat.

During the closing program, Bustos highlighted the bond that has glued the participants and the training providers for the duration of the three-day training. “For us in Extension, there are no big or small trainings. Every opportunity like this is a chance to improve lives one participant at a time.”  (Ronald B. Bustos)