THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 7 is allocating at least P9 million for Central Visayas to bring science and technology closer to people and communities.
To date, the agency has assisted six communities in the region under its Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (Cest) program, according to DOST-Cebu Director Tristan Abando.
One of the agency’s Cest beneficiaries is the popular Tuburan coffee.
The DOST, in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), recently endorsed a coffee processing facility for the Tuburan coffee farmers to help boost production and improve the livelihood of the community.
The coffee farm of Tuburan produced 128.18 kilograms of coffee beans from January to April this year. It generated sales of P102,490.
From 500 hectares in nine barangays, the farm has spread to 2,850 hectares in 16 barangays of the town, providing livelihood to about a thousand coffee farmers.
Other Cest beneficiaries include the cassava farmers in Kinatarcan Island, Sta. Fe; Bongdo, Borbon for breadfruit propagation as a drought-resilient crop; and Tolosa, Malabuyoc for their solar-powered irrigation system.
The agency also assisted a community in Sta. Fe, Cebu by providing mechanical drying technology for dried fish processing; and La Paz, Bogo City for their farmer- scientists training program for Yolanda Village community-based vegetable garden.
According to Abando, Cest is the agency’s way of achieving inclusive innovation, which he defines as innovations for inclusive prosperity.
Besides the regional office, DOST Councils are also allocating funds to support the implementation of Cest in the regions.
In his recent visit to Cebu last June, DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña reminded the Filipinos to adopt innovation for collective prosperity.
“Innovation should be prioritized, especially that we are in the midst of a paradigm shift where it has become necessary especially for the business sector to be technology-driven and technology-savvy to survive in the challenging business landscape,” said dela Peña during the Innovation Summit held here.
Dela Peña said the MSMEs could count on the DOST’s programs in their quest for innovation to become globally competitive.
“We are calling on the MSMEs, technopreneurs, and startups to take advantage of our programs to overcome roadblocks and gain market traction,” he said. (KOC)