SAINT BERNARD, Southern Leyte - A root crop can be more than a familiar staple on the table. With proper processing, safe production practices, attractive packaging, and the right marketing strategy, it can become a competitive product capable of supporting a family or a community enterprise.
This potential came into focus for 32 rural women and members of Rural Improvement Clubs (RICs) and rural-based organizations (RBOs) who joined the five-day training “Innovate, Integrate, Market: Launch Your Agricultural Product with Confidence” in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, on August 10–14, 2026.
Conducted by the Agricultural Training Institute–Regional Training Center 8 (ATI-RTC 8), the activity aimed to help participants transform locally available root crops into products that are safe, high-quality, attractive, innovative, and ready for the market.
Throughout the training, participants followed the journey of an agricultural product—from identifying what customers need to developing the product, computing its price, designing its label, building its brand, and determining how it could reach potential buyers.
The sessions introduced them to market research, product ideation, food safety, Good Manufacturing Practices, product testing and validation, packaging, labeling, branding, costing, pricing, and marketing. They also examined the differences between direct and wholesale marketing and explored the use of digital channels to promote agricultural products.
The learning extended beyond lectures. Participants designed product labels using Canva, presented their proposed packaging and labels, computed product costs and selling prices, delivered elevator pitches, created Facebook pages for their associations, and presented their marketing plans.
Ms. Jessica L. Morales of the Department of Trade and Industry–Leyte served as one of the resource persons and shared practical strategies on product innovation, packaging, labeling, and branding. These lessons helped the participants understand that producing a good product is only the beginning. The product must also respond to customer needs, communicate its value, and stand out in the market.
For Ms. Marjoree L. Coquilla of the Catmon Women’s Association, the training changed how she viewed product development. She learned that the success of an agricultural product does not depend on quality alone. Proper packaging, branding, marketing, and an understanding of market needs are equally important. “This training gave me greater confidence and inspiration to showcase and improve our agricultural products, especially processed root crop products,” Coquilla said.
Ms. Joyce E. Matugas of the Pineapple Planter’s Association shared a similar realization. She said the clear discussions on innovation, packaging, and branding gave their group useful ideas for improving their products. “Now, we know how to make our products better and more marketable. We also understand the needs of customers and the strategies we can use to make our products competitive,” Matugas said.
Meanwhile, Ms. Lelebith M. Zobel of the Saint Bernard Rootcrop Association emphasized the importance of market research in developing products that customers will purchase. She also cited Good Manufacturing Practices and proper labeling and branding as valuable lessons that could help their association improve product quality and gain greater public recognition. “I hope that what we learned will not end with this training. May these lessons help our association and our small businesses become more productive and successful in the future,” Zobel said.
The major lessons were captured through the “ROOT CROPS” synthesis, which highlighted responsible packaging and organized labeling, opportunities in the market, transformative and customer-focused products, remarkable branding, online and offline marketing, enterprise growth, and product safety and quality.
By the end of the training, the participants had more than newly designed labels, Facebook pages, product prices, and marketing plans. They also gained a clearer understanding of how an agricultural product moves from a local resource to a market-ready brand.
Through the activity, ATI-RTC 8 continued its efforts to equip rural women and farmer organizations with practical skills in value addition and enterprise development—helping them see that the roots grown in their communities can also become the foundation of stronger and more sustainable rural livelihoods. LGU-Saint Bernard through Municipal Mayor Jocelyn L. Bungcaras and Municipal Administrator Ervin Cabales openly expressed their support and appreciation for the conduct of the training and assured ATI RTC 8 of their interest in future collaborations for agriculture.
