The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Office IX, through its Provincial Science and Technology (S&T) Center and in partnership with the local government unit of Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur, turned over a Grant-in-Aid (GIA) assistance of over P1 million to coco coir and salabat (ginger) granule producers.
DOST IX provided a GIA amounting to P1,320,959 to Baking Small Coconut Association (BSCA) and Gasa ELCAC Women's Association (GEWA).
The Department said the fund assistance will be used for the establishment of the Coco Fiber Production Facility and the Salabat Granule Processing Facility.
"Included in the things to procure are tools and materials for the said facilities; machinery such as the Coco Husk decorticating, motorized twining, coconut coir twining steel and pedal type, weighing scale, ratchet-type looming, heavy-duty juice extractor, cast iron, tables, stockpot, and the likes," DOST said.
"The services on physical, chemical, and microbiological analyses are also included. In addition, interventions such as product development, execution of packaging and labeling, and the conduct of technology skills related training are being incorporated within the duration of project implementation," it added.
BSCA is composed of 200 members, while the GEWA has 29 members, both are startup associations engaged in coconut farming and ginger farming, respectively.