By Ryan Sebastian Soyosa, DOST-STII, S&T Media Service
The DOST’s first ever on-site mobile food testing laboratory and facility project marks its first year after it was established last October 2020, that’s the 1st Science for the People-Smart Food Value Chain Facility and Manufacturing Village at Barangay Colonia in Tuburan, Cebu.
Spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Office VII and the Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative (LAMAC MPC), this Smart Food Value Chain and Manufacturing Village Facility has been serving its purpose to the local communities of Cebu. This facility is aligned with its core mission to develop an agricultural innovative technology for food safety that is self-sustaining and can transform raw agricultural materials to become high-value and high-quality products.
This pioneering satellite and mobile food microbiology laboratory became fully operational in July, joined by its very own three food microbiology lab trainees that have completed intensive technical laboratory training and graduated to become the facility’s in-house laboratory analysts.
In less than a year, 250 farmers have benefited from the facility’s state-of-the-art equipment, testing services, production operation for both coconut and fish processing.
Furthermore, it has also generated employment among community women who served as quality controller in the facility who were trained by DOST Region VII testing laboratory experts and more women that work full-time in the facility who are active members of the Community Empowerment for Science and Technology (CEST) program of the DOST.
Gearing towards another year, the DOST aims to expand the manufacturing village through collaboration with partner agencies, the LMPC-COCOHUB management in collaboration with Philippine Coconut Authority that will establish a Coconut Water Ice Plant and Storage for the fisherfolks and fish vendors in town.
Despite the negative effects of the global pandemic to the people’s livelihood, this project has indeed responded to the challenge of the time, hence, the success of the facility is a testimony that science, technology, and innovation have the power to transform communities of marginal means to communities that are empowered and self-sustaining.
The facility and other DOST technologies and innovations will be featured during the week-long celebration of the 2021 National Science and Technology Week or 2021 NSTW that carries the theme, “Agham at Teknolohiya: Tugon sa Hamon ng Panahon, to be held from 22-28 November 2021.
Everyone is encouraged to join the celebration virtually once more by visiting the NSTW website at www.nstw.dost,gov.ph and on its Facebook Page. See you there! (DOST) -rir
