The Department of Agriculture in Region 9 (DA-9), through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD), has encouraged its farmer partners to engage in the food processing business.

Ronillo Dusaban, SAAD provincial coordinator, made the call as the DA-SAAD in coordination with DA-9 Regulatory Division and the Meat Processing Team has conducted a two-day technical training on meat processing from Wednesday until Thursday in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.

The training was attended by 18 farmers who are members of three farmers association in Zamboanga del Norte. They are from the Dangi Farmers Association of Polanco, Togup Indigenous Peoples (IPs) Farmers Association of Kalawit, and Tampilisan Subanen Cultural Minority Association (TSCMA) of Tampilisan.

“I hope that this training will serve as your stepping stone in turning you into farmers and business owners as well,” Dusaban said told the participants.

The Dangi Farmers Association received Swine Raising Project in 2017 and Meat Processing Project in 2019 and 2020. This year, they have 22 available piglets, nine heads of which will be fattened.

The Togup IP’s Farmers Association, on the other hand, received Swine Raising Projects from 2018 to 2019 while the TSCMA received Broiler Chicken Raising Projects in 2017, Swine Raising Project in 2018, and the Meat Processing Project for 2021.

Rad Donn Cedeño, DA-9 director, said apart from lectures, hands-on procedures and training were given to the participants during the two-day activity.

Cedeño said they also processed meat by-products like longganisa, tocino, tapa, and siomai.

“The training for food processing and preservation are crucial to the food industry, and we always make sure that they are clean and safe to eat,” Cedeño said as he invited the training participants to visit the DA-9 new meat processing center in Barangay Pamucutan, this city. (PNA)