CEBREM uplifts SMEs to utilize their resources

The Center for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM) conducted a training on the propagation protocols for edible and economic ferns, in partnership with the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) – Region X, last October 23, 2020, at the Farmers Training Center, Central Mindanao University.

The training aimed at teaching Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to propagate edible and economic ferns, including plantlets. The training also served as a hub of opportunities for those planning to have extra income by growing these plants. They were further encouraged to use accessible platforms with a wide audience like social media, among other online platforms.

“This time, online business is booming. Consider it as a platform for your agricultural projects. Right now, small to medium enterprises are favored so that our economy will not be totally down,” said Dr. Emmanuel T. Baltazar, Biodiversity for Education and Training Unit (BETU) coordinator and training facilitator.

The trainees were expected to submit an action plan to CEBREM the first week after the training for evaluation purposes. Once approved, they will proceed to make sustainability plan to monitor the progress of their projects further.

Dr. Baltazar, who was also a resource person of the said training, said that the College of Forestry and Environmental Science planned to include this in their extension project. “It shows that we should not limit ourselves to do something. I don’t believe in the saying, ‘live your life to the fullest.’ Instead, ‘live your life to the fullest significance.’ Your life must be significant to other people,” Dr. Baltazar added.
He further said that next year, there would be another training, action, and sustainability planning by the same partnership for the cultivation of outputs, further assessment of projects, and training so that more people will benefit from this undertaking.

Meanwhile, Dr. Florfe M. Acma, CEBREM Director, posited that raising plantlets can be challenging. However, she asserted her high hopes that the skills and learning they had from the three-day training will become part of them. “We just hope that everything will be fruitful, and the challenges that were given by the resource persons will be inculcated in our minds and hearts so that the efforts and support of ATI would not be in vain,” Dr. Acma acceded. (LESimbajon)