Twenty farmer-leaders from different municipalities in the region join the first-ever Training Course on Ube Production as a response to the need for more produced Ube raw products on August 16-18, 2023 at ATI-RTC 02, Malasin, San Mateo, Isabela.

Purple yam (Dioscorea alta L.), locally known as ube, is a staple crop in the Philippines. It is one of the 150 species of the genus Dioscoria cultivated for food. From halo-halo to ube jam, the tuberous root vegetable is one of the most popular ingredients in Filipino desserts and pastries. This purple variety of yams is considered one of the most sought-after crops in the country due to its high demand in food processing. However, the local industry faces some challenges that prevent it from unleashing its full potential.

The Department of Trade and Industry said that there is export potential for Ube powder, however, there is a limited source of raw material. For this reason, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) conducts the 3-day “Training Course on Ube Production” for farmer-leaders. The activity is in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 02 and Bureau of Plant Industry.

In the first two-day of the training, the farmer-leaders underwent lectures on the Status of the Regional Ube Industry, Common Varieties and Nutritional Value of Ube, Production Technology of Ube and Ube Market Opportunities. Also, the Ube Tissue Culture Technology was introduced to the participants-- this method involves taking nodes from healthy purple yams and cultivating them in specially formulated fluids inside a laboratory.

The trainees actively shared their ideas and experience to generate a collective knowledge that will help each other to start their Ube agri-business. Also, the farmer-leaders will work closely in a demonstration and a field visit at the farm in Diffun, Quirino Province to see the actual process of production of Ube from preparation to the market.

Apart from that, on the last day of the training, the farmer-leaders will discuss with the Department of Trade and Industry to talk over market strategy and opportunities. This will assist the farmer-leaders in marketing their produce.

As an implementer of the program, the Career Development and Management Services Section (CDMSS) of Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center 02 is full of hope in the uplifting the participants with knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) on the proper production technology of Ube.