VIGAN CITY, Dec. 31 (PIA) - - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through the Provincial Science and Technology (S&T) Center in Ilocos Sur, continues to provide S&T interventions to various communities in the province.
Through the DOST’s community-based program (CBP), sugarcane farmers in Suyo town were granted one unit of mobile sugarcane crusher and two units of cooking vats recently.
With reports from the DOST, said interventions were provided to address concerns of farmers who live far to the existing stationary sugarcane crusher, hence, will ease the transporting of sugarcane stalks from the fields to the said crusher.
These also aim to lessen processing time and assist the association to adhere to good manufacturing practices, which the DOST advocates.
CBP assists groups or firms to improve community-based institutions through the application of S&T related interventions and various capacity-building activities.
Moreover, mushroom growers in the towns of Santa Maria and Cervantes received autoclave in support to their operations last December 9 through the DOST’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program.
The intervention aims to upgrade the current pasteurization process of the associations who adopted technology trainings provided under CEST.
The 230-to-250-bag capacity autoclave will shorten the current pasteurization process of six to eight hours by 50%, according to the DOST.
These were received by the Laslasong Norte Mushroom Growers of Santa Maria and Cervantes Mushroom Growers and Processors Association which were organized after attending the DOST initiated training on mushroom production in their communities.
As part of the awarding ceremony, a virtual discussion on proper sterilization process using the autoclave was conducted by Ms. Jumarlyn Compra of Benguet State University Mushroom Center. (JCR/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur, with reports from the DOST)