ABOUT 24 members of Abelling tribe in San Jose town recently finished a two-day skills training seminar on processing of root crops and vegetables through the initiative of Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
During the seminar, participants were trained on how to process turmeric, ginger, cassava, sweet potato, squash and malunggay which are found aplenty in the municipality.
DOST Provincial Director Karen Yañgo-Dañez said the activity was part of the expanded Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (eCEST) program.
“CEST aims to help build resilient and smart communities by providing science and technology interventions to address social issues such as lack of livelihood opportunities, malnutrition, waste management and environmental degradation caused by climate change among others,” she stressed.
Aside from the training, DOST will link the community with Tarlac Agricultural University and Got Heart Foundation, a non-government organization, to develop and market their products.
“Also, part of the package of assistance to the community is the provision of various food processing equipment such as weighing scale, stainless steel table, steamer, grinder, double burner gas stove and foot stomping machine, and installation of a water filtration system to supply the tribe with potable water,” Dañez explained.
Meanwhile, Municipal Indigenous People Mandatory Representative Edna Villegas expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the efforts of DOST.
“We want to thank DOST for teaching us new recipes for the root crops and vegetables available in our community. We hope that you will continue to provide more training to our tribe,” Villegas noted. (PIA-Central Luzon)