The Department of Science and Technology-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOST-CAR) through its Provincial Science and Technology Office (PSTO)– Kalinga turned over a Compact Corn Mill with Elevator to Alibangbang Farmers Association Inc. on March 13, 2023 at Liwan West, Rizal, Kalinga.
Alibangbang Farmers Association Inc. is a Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-registered association located at Brgy. Liwan West, Rizal, Kalinga. Established in 2015, the association is composed of 30 members with corn production as their main source of income. Their produce are often sold to consolidators for feed production. However, the considerably low farmgate prices coupled with the high cost of farm inputs, intensive labor requirements, and abrupt increase of other expenses jeopardize their operation resulting to limited revenue.
Hence, through the project entitled “S&T Intervention for the Establishment of Corn Milling Facility for the Corn Producing Areas in Rizal” funded under Local Grants-in-Aid, a tripartite collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Rizal, Kalinga, seeks to establish a sustainable processing facility for the production of corn meal and grits both for human and animal consumption.
The Compact Corn Mill developed by Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) which is awarded as one of the Outstanding Creative Research during the 2016 DOST National Invention Contest and Exhibit, and 2015 DOST Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit, was provided to the organization along with other S&T interventions such as capacity building-training, laboratory analysis, label designs, and packaging materials and equipment.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA, the total corn production in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) was estimated at 99,103.68 metric tons in the second (2nd) quarter of 2022 with Kalinga partaking 29 percent share and has the second highest contribution next to Ifugao. In Kalinga, Rizal is one of the top producers of corn utilized both for industrial and household consumption.
With the equipment’s high milling efficiency and minimal product losses and all other SciTech interventions provided, this flagship crop of the municapility will be transformed into value-added products, potential for economic development.
Additionally, backyard hog raising is also one of the prominent source of income in the community. With this project, the high prices of commercial feeds which usually restrict the income of the raisers will be addressed, since the processed corn can be used as supplemental feeds.//KIMartinez
Municipal Agriculture Officer, Engr. Nasser Rey C. Juan (3rd from left), along with the other personnel from the Municipal Agriculture Office, witness the turnover of equipment to Alibangbang Farmers Association Inc.
