The College of Agriculture of DMMMSU-South La Union Campus held a three-day training on mushroom production on January 27, 30, and 31 with a total of 50 farmer-beneficiaries in three different sites across La Union — Barangay Lomboy in Sto. Tomas, Barangay San Vincente in Agoo, and Barangay Sinapangan Sur in Bangar.

20 farmers participated in the Sto. Tomas leg, 16 in Agoo, and 14 in Bangar. In Bangar, participants comprised of members of two irrigators associations Lusiris and Risintal Farmers.

With funding from the National Irrigation Administration- Agoo, La Union, the three-day training centered on the production of paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) or kabuting saging with return demonstration and hands-on exercises as structured. A revisit was scheduled for monitoring and follow-up on their demonstration outputs.

As promoted by the College, the production of straw mushrooms has high economic potential, helping local growers become mushroom entrepreneurs. Considered to be a good source of protein, mushroom production does not require cultivated lands but can take place in abandoned structures, basements, and barren lands.

CA’s technology experts Mr. Steve S. Serrano (Science Research Analyst) and Prof. Ferdinand M. Navarro served as resource speakers during the training while Ms. Gloria J. Casipit, Irrigators Development Officer from NIA, graced the training with other NIA staff joining her in the Bangar leg. (by Ronald Bustos)