Leonisa A. Artes, extension specialist of the PHTRC, lectured on Preharvest, Harvest, and Postharvest Handling of Vegetables last May 10 for VeggiEskwela at the East-West Seed Foundation Main Office in San Rafael, Bulacan. She also served as resource person during a Three-day Capacity Enhancement Training Program on Postharvest Handling and Management, Packaging and Labeling, Costing and Pricing of Agricultural Produce last May 22-24 in Iloilo City. Artes lectured before some 30 new vegetable growers to equip them with in-depth knowledge on year-round planting, adhering to good agricultural practices. Meanwhile, during the training for Iloilo farmers, she talked on “Postharvest Management and Handling of Agricultural Produce”, covering such topics as proper harvesting, sorting, grading, trimming, cleaning, washing, packing, ripening, storage, cooling and other packinghouse operations. This was complemented by hands-on training with open forum and discussion. VeggiEskwela is a year-round vegetable production training program hosted by East-West Seed Foundation. The training for the farmers in Iloilo, on the other hand, was conducted by the DA-Western Visayas in cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency. It is part of the DA regional field office VI’s continuous capacity enhancement of recipient farmers’ organizations as marketing partners in the operation and sustainability of the Third Phase of Panay Island Upland Sustainable Rural Development Project. Partnership with industry and other government agencies is in line with the PHTRC’s mandate of providing technical assistance to the horticulture sector, with the end in view of fulfilling its mission of modernizing and enhancing the industry’s global competitiveness through postharvest systems development and improvement. (MV Maunahan)
