A group of faculty members from the College of Agriculture, Food Science, Agribusiness and Development Communication (CAFBC), led by the BS Food Technology program, is helping a local multipurpose cooperative to combat food losses and limited market access through its extension project initiative, PALAMI.
The project, Producing Abundant Local Agricultural Items through Processing for Market Improvement, or PALAMI, is a one-year GAA-funded project designed to address critical challenges faced by the Campangga Alayon Multipurpose Cooperative (CAMPCO), the project’s direct beneficiary.
Facing persistent challenges with post-harvest losses and limited market access, CAMPCO has struggled to unlock its full economic potential. In response, the PALAMI project has launched targeted training and product development initiatives aimed at extending the shelf life of CAMPCO’s products and creating new offerings from its own resources.
“The project ultimately aims to empower the members of CAMPCO on the different food processing techniques that they can use to produce level-up products based on their available/existing commodities, hence the word PALAMI”, said Mr. Julius C. Medellin, a Professional Food Technologist and the project leader of PALAMI.
Since its implementation, the project has conducted several training workshops, during which the project proponents shared their expertise. This includes Food Processing and Preservation, where project beneficiaries were introduced to and experienced hands-on demonstrations on the processes of salting, curing, and smoking. They were also equipped with the basics of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Food Safety, ensuring that CAMPCO food products are consistently produced and controlled to meet quality standards and protect consumer health. Additionally, the beneficiaries were also taught about the importance of packaging to food safety.
As the project is ongoing, additional training, including hands-on demonstrations, is aligned with the project’s objectives. The aim is for processor-beneficiaries to develop or redesign a food product utilizing newly acquired processing techniques and incorporating effective packaging and labelling principles, which will be evaluated through a final product showcase.
By training CAMPCO processors to apply innovative product development strategies, the PALAMI project is a testament to CTU Barili’s continued efforts to empower communities, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and resilient local economy.
