SOME 24 entrepreneurs, who are members of two farmers and fisherfolk associations in San Carlos City, have finished the six-day skills training on coconut crafts production of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental.
The training, which ended on March 28, is one of the agency's programs implemented through its Negosyo Center in collaboration with the local government unit (LGU).
Negosyo Center coordinator Engiemar Tupas, also the senior trade and industry development specialist of DTI-Negros Occidental, said Sunday, April 1, that the very reason for passing the Go Negosyo Act is enterprise development.
As part of realizing this mandate, Tupas said business counselors of all Negosyo Centers in the province are conducting various skills training in order to create enterprises, especially in the countryside.
"Negosyo Centers are designed to create and further develop small and medium enterprises," he said, adding that enterprise development significantly contributes to the generation of more employment.
The participants of the skills training held at Sipaway Island are members of the Self Help Group and Sipaway Coconut Farmers Association from Barangays Ermita and San Juan of the said northern Negros Occidental locality.
At the end of the activity, they were able to produce various products using coconut and its byproducts as major raw materials.
These include souvenir items like key chains, necklaces, anklets and other accessories, baskets, and candle holders, among others.
Tupas said some of these finished products are intended for the upcoming Panaad sa Negros Festival this month.
Participating entrepreneurs also have sure market as the City Government will buy their products to be used as souvenirs for at least 100 German tourists coming to Sipaway Island this year.
Tupas said they are looking at the possibility of exporting through continuous development of the products and improvement of craftsmanship.
"The DTI is really making sure that there is a sure market. Aside from these buyers, we will also work on linking them with other resorts," he said, stressing that "the government's money would only result to waste if we just keep on conducting skills training without a sure market."
Assuring entrepreneurs with sure markets would also mean sustainability of the program, Tupas added.
The coco crafts production in San Carlos City is the first skills training conducted by the Negosyo Center in the province this year.
Other centers will also conduct training in their respective localities.
The skills will be identified based on the need and interest of the clients, and availability of raw materials.
Data obtained by SunStar Bacolod from the City Government showed that there are at least 19 coconut growers with a total of 1,584 trees in Sipaway Island.
In terms of average production, the almost 16-hectare coconut area is producing about 237,600 nuts per year, it added.
Tupas said there should be training need assessment (TNA) to also determine the available skills and market before coming up with an activity.
"Our approach is not imposing the kind of skills training, it should emanate from the clients," he said, adding that participating entrepreneurs are urged to take the skills they acquired as an opportunity to boost their income and livelihood.