Adding value to the Tree of Life

Mon, 05/29/2023 - 19:02
coconut value adding B1

 

Baybay City, Leyte - The Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) has brought back the spotlight to the Tree of Life, the coconut.

The coconut truly lives up to the name as many products can come from the different parts of this commodity. However, some farmers have not taken advantage of the many possibilities for coconut as money-maker. 

The CFIDP calls for value-adding for the Tree of Life. Hence, under the social protection component of the program, ATI RTC 8 conducted the Training of Trainers on Value-Adding for Coconut Products (B1). The training aimed to capacitate the participants to effectively deliver topics related to the production of coconut products and by-products in their respective areas.

Twenty-one (21) AEWs and coconut-based processors/cooperators attended the training. Participants were given orientation on CFIDP and the different opportunities in coconut production. They were also taught Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)on coconut. 

The participants visited the National Coconut Research Center (NCRC) at the Visayas State University (VSU) where experts the demonstrated on the processing of various food coconut products and by-products. Participants also had to relearn the proper way of breaking open a coconut and grating its meat. Once the processing was done, participants also did break-even analysis for the products. Labelling and packaging were also included to make the products more enticing to customers.

Participants realized that coconut water, which is considered waste in the processing of coconut by-products, can still be processed into a healthy drink. Grated coconut meat (sapal) can also be processed further into food products.

Jason O. Pascual-Talalora, a participant from Talalora, Samar, was hesitant to attend the training as they were already into food processing back home. However, he shared that the attending the training was all worth it. He enthused, “I can now compare our practices with what has been taught to us in this training. Through this training, we now have an organization of Coconut Processors for Samar. We will now pool our products so we can join exhibits and food bazaars.”

The training was conducted on May 22-26, 2023 at ATI RTC 8, VSU, Baybay City, Leyte.

 

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