Sunday, October 7, 2007

KASC Hosts Reg’l Training Workshop On Vermi-Compost And Vermi-Meal Production


The Kalinga-Apayao State College hosted the Regional Training Workshop on Verm-compost and Vermi-meal Production on August 28-29, 2007 at the TAMPCO Training Hall, Tabuk City, Kalinga with Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero, Executive Director of PCAMRD-DOST, as Main Lecturer.

Dr. Eduardo T. Bagtang, KASC President, welcomed the 23 participants from the various agencies and State Universities and Colleges in Cordillera Administrative Region. He thanked Dr. Guerrero for considering KASC to be tapped as the Regional Vermicompost and Vermimeal Production Project (RVVPP)Training Center through the Philippine Council on Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD)

According to Dr. Herbert Imatong, Project In-charge of the RVVPP, the rationale of the RVVP is to promote the vermicompost and the vermimeal production technologies nationwide through techno-demo, training and techno-transfer in strategic regional centers in partnership with SUCs and LGUs and the private sector. Specifically, the program should demonstrate the commercial feasibility of producing vermicompost and vermimieal as an economical and environment-friendly option for the recycling of biodegradable materials(household, municipal and farm wastes); and to mass produce the suitable earthworm species (African night crawler) for dissemination nationwide at a price of P30.00 per kg or less for increasing access of small farmers to earthworm biomass and enhancing livelihood opportunities while reducing pollution of the environment.

Both the Provincial and Municipal governments expressed their support and cooperation for the project. Governor Floydelia R. Diasen was represented by Mrs. Aster Caruso, Executive Assistant for External Affairs, while Mayor Camilo T. Lammawin, Jr. was represented by Mr. Laurence Bayongan, Municipal Administrator.

Dr. Guerrero, in his message, gave emphasis on caring for mother earth and one of the ways is to take care of earthworms. He gave assurance that the African night crawler will not be another pest.

The Training Workshop covered the following topics: Overview of the Vermiculture Industry in the Philippines and its potential for livestock and aqua feeds by Dr Guerrero; Management Requirement of African nightcrawler for production; Economics of vermicompost and vermimeal production by Dr. Guerrero and Dr. Imatong; Role of Vermicompost In Sustainable Crop Production by Dr. Jovita Saguibo; Values Enhancement for Sustainable Vermiculture Project by Dr. Maximo Garming

The second day of the training was devoted to action planning and workshop, visit to the vermiculture project site and presentation of outputs.

Participants were given the chance to view the process of taking care of the earthworms , the gathering and combining of the waste they are going to eat and how to stock the vermicompost.

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