PASIL, Kalinga (PIA) - - The Department of Science and Technology - the Department of Science and Technology – Cordillera Administrative Region (DOST - CAR) through its Provincial Science and Technology Office (PSTO) – Kalinga recently trained 25 participants from various people’s organizations and the local government unit of Pasil on charcoal production and briquetting, one of the many efforts of the agency to foster rural development and environmental conservation.
Resource speakers from the DOST- Forest Products Research and Development Institute, the technology generators, taught the participants the technology know-how and conducted hands-on demonstration of the production process on July 19 and 20 at the Municipal Farmers Training Center.
The DOST has earlier turned over to Pasil LGU a complete set of charcoal briquetting equipment through the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) project.
According to DOST, charcoal briquetting is the process of converting agricultural, agro-forest wastes and other biomass materials into useful energy source-fuel substitute. The briquettes are a clean and efficient alternative to kerosene and electricity, and traditional charcoal, which is often produced by cutting down trees and contributes to deforestation. They burn longer and more evenly, produce less smoke and ash. These are often cheaper than traditional charcoal, making them a more affordable fuel source for low-income households.
The CEST project in Pasil targeted all the five components of the program namely Economic Development; Health and Nutrition; Human Resource Development; Environmental Protection and Conservation; and Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.
This addresses the growing need for environment-friendly and sustainable fuel source, and the efficient management of agricultural and agro-forest wastes, and targets to uplift the livelihood status of the community, the DOST stated.
The DOST in its effports to provide scientific and technological solutions that can benefit local communities and promote environmental conservation has been providing several innovative DOST-developed technologies and capacity building to the community-beneficiaries particularly in the End Local Communist Armed Conflict areas and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
The PSTO earlier reported it has trained members of the Pasil Consolidators and Eco-Farmers Association on carpentry, upholstery, and welding.(JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga) Photos: PSTO-Lalinga
