The Postharvest Horticulture Training and Research Center (PHTRC) is playing an active role in the continuous capacity building to boost the vegetable industry in Region 3 (Central Luzon). Leonisa A. Artes, PHTRC extension coordinator, served as resource person in a series of trainings conducted by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and the East-West Seed Foundation, Inc. in this region. During the “Training of Trainers on Sustainable Vegetable Production for Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) in Central Luzon (Batch 5)” last July 18-19 at the ATI-Regional Training Center III in San Ramon, Dinalupihan, Bataan, she lectured on maturity indices and harvest determination, and methods of maintaining quality and safety of fresh produce. With this training, the AEWs are envisioned to teach farmers in their respective areas on how to reduce production losses and consequently increase agricultural productivity and income. Artes also talked on the pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest handling of vegetables last July 26 during the third run of East-West’s “VeggiEskwela, a Training Course on Year-Round Vegetable Production” at the seed company’s main office in Sampaloc, San Rafael, Bulacan. The training was aimed to provide the farmer participants with in-depth knowledge about year-round vegetable planting based on good agricultural practices. A fourth installment of this course is slated in October this year. (MV Maunahan)
