ON THIS year 2016 marks the Benguet State University (BSU) Centennial Anniversary Celebration on which major programs have been pipelined and among them is the Community Jamboree.
Community represents the host municipalities while Jamboree simply implies the yearlong centennial anniversary celebration altogether longs to empower communities through its extension services.
Launched on September 27, 2016 at the BSU Secondary Laboratory School, the Jamboree evolved along the conduct of extension services which include soil analysis, plant pest/disease diagnosis, anti-rabies vaccination for pets, nutritional assessment and advisory and medical/dental services.
Recently, the Jamboree through technology caravan brings off in the Municipality of Tublay, Benguet on the 28th of November that was synchronize with their 116th Foundation Anniversary Celebration.
Promoting matured technologies started with the crop shelter that served as the BSU Booth. It measures 4 meters by 12 meters and towers at 2.5 meters, fully utilizing the standard size of the framing materials. It is metal-framed with two layers of cladding or shading materials, contrary to existing low-cost greenhouses using wood frames such as bamboo with only a single sheet of plastic as covering.
The clear plastic protects the plants from the rain and will help keep the temperature warm during cool seasons. The shading net, on the other hand, will allow the continuous flow of air to lessen the amount of heat during intensely warm weather and add strength to the structure.
Compared to other crop shelter designs, the materials used are UV-treated and sturdy so that they can withstand strong winds during typhoons.
The downside is that the materials are relatively more expensive compared to low tunnel shelters or those with wooden frames. Thus, the technology is more viable for producing high value crops. However, the costs can be recovered in the long run.
For updates, there are already farmers who have recognized the utility of the design and are using it for sheltered production of several crops such as cut flowers in La Trinidad, Benguet and tree seedlings in Abra.
A fabricated two chicken feather plucker prototypes namely: tub-type and hold-on were also displayed. The tub-type feather plucker is driven by a ¾ horsepower electric motor with a tub-type body installed with 29 vertical and 69 horizontal plucker fingers. It can pluck the feathers of an appropriately-scalded medium-size chicken in 12 seconds with 98% efficiency. The machine can dress a maximum of two broiler chickens simultaneously. Accordingly, the temperature of the water must be 68-700C to meet the desired efficiency. Beyond the said temperature, the chicken will sustain injuries; and below, plucking would be very difficult.
The technology is accordingly user-friendly. For the tub-type, the operator can simply put the appropriately-scalded chickens into the tub, switch-on the machine, and wait until the feathers are well-plucked. Machines are designed to lessen the very exhaustive work faced when dressing chicken manually, without compromising the quality of the finished product. Nevertheless, it is more appreciated when used in micro/small chicken business endeavors.
Further, a fabricated simpler variation of a Tiger Grass Remover was also introduced. Unlike manual method, the tiger grass seed remover can clean the seeds of a hand-bundled tiger grass in 11 to 12 seconds when properly dried. There is also less damage to the seed stalks or panicles.
The said remover is a motor and hold-on type machine. It is built with nylon twines for stripping and two parallel stripping disks, mounted with wheels for improved mobility and designed as rugged and compact. The producers may simply hold a bundled tiger grass over the nylon twines to strip off the seeds. The machine is designed simply that even farmers and soft-broom producers can duplicate. All materials used are also available in the locality.
Those fabricated machines were outputs of the BSU - College of Engineering and Applied Technology (CEAT) through the leadership of Engr. John F. Malamug. He humbly encouraged those interested farmers who want to replicate or be informed about those technologies to visit the BSU-CEAT located at Km 6, La Trinidad, Benguet for a comprehensive information and for technical assistance.
Moreover, beans seeds for planting were also exhibited. As of June 2016, the BSU Seed Laboratory has produced three types of beans that have been tested in terms of yield and resistance to pests and diseases and shown favorable results and these are pole beans, bush snap beans and field beans. As such, pure tissue cultured Banana seedlings (Lakatan) and organic compost were also displayed. Interested farmers may inquire at the BSU Seed Laboratory for the beans, Climate Smart Agriculture Center for the composts, and BSU Tissue Culture Laboratory for the banana located at the Research and Extension Building, Km 5, La Trinidad, Benguet.
Models of hydroponic system on strawberry and hydroponic system on watercress using nutrient solution were also set up on the booth. An on-going researches conducted by Mr. Sergio T. Gayao, BSU Senior Science Research Specialist. Gayao, among who manned the booth shared the ideas about the study to the locals and visitors who visited the area.
On the other hand, Dr. Constantino T. Sudaypan Sr., the Director of the BSU Office of Extension Services shared updates and interventions relative to the extension services or programs of the institution during the Tublay Farmers Convention Cum Cooperative Summit held in the afternoon.
The Community Jamboree will reach out on some of the municipalities of Benguet beside Tublay as it will be coordinated and was scheduled on the next year. (OES Release)