To help Lantapan, Bukidnon’s carrot industry, PCAARRD in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Region 10, Central Mindanao University (CMU), Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Lantapan local government will implement the S&T Community-Based Farm (STCBF) technology transfer modality.
In an inception meeting led by PCAARRD at the Binahon Agroforestry Farm Training Hall in Barangay Songco in Lantapan, project partners leveled off on the concept and methodology of the STCBF and TM projects.
STCBF will upscale the application of S&T interventions for the production of chemical-free carrot raw materials also intended for the Council’s TechnoMart (TM) project.
In turn, TM will fast track the movement and increase competitiveness of S&T products such as carrot concentrate using a variety of “rolling out strategies” in partnership with business organizations and the private sector.
Both the STCBF and TM projects address the deterrents to the growth and stability of Lantapan’s carrot industry such as the high cost of farm inputs, particularly inorganic fertilizers and pesticides; high incidence of pests; unstable market; price fluctuation; low yield; and limited postharvest facilities.
At the meeting, Dr. Estella Detalla, CMU director for research, presented the STCBF project on chemical-free carrot production, while Mr. Virgilio Fuertes, Provincial S&T Coordinator of DOST-Region 10 presented the TM project on carrot processing.
It was also highlighted by the graduation and closing ceremony of the “Season Long Training for Trainors on Chemical-free Carrot Production” where PCAARRD Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Henry Binahon served as the lone resource person.
Incidentally, Lantapan is known as the “vegetable basket” of Mindanao where high-valued vegetable crops are grown and marketed to the major cities in Mindanao and even as far as Metro Cebu.
Carrots raised in Lantapan contributed to Bukidnon’s reputation as one of the top five carrot-producing provinces in the country.