TACLOBAN CITY– The provincial office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Eastern Samar has turned over five boxes of multi-purpose grain solar speed drying trays, (known as portasol) to the Malaintos Organic Rice Association of Farmers (MORFA) in Dolores town on Friday(April 26).
MORFA is known in the community for the production of indigenous rice-based products such as pop rice, rice pinyato, rice puto, rice salukara, and others.
The portasol will be a huge help to the post-harvest capacity, improve the storage process of raw material, and additional processing equipment to their newly constructed production facility provided by the municipal government of Dolores and by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
According to the DOST, the portasol drying trays, an innovation of a Filipino inventor, are designed to be used in the production of various types of ‘grain-based’ agricultural products, using solar energy. This technology has helped improve the quality of agricultural products and reduce post-harvest losses.
Efren Lazara, MORFA president, expressed gratitude for the support and assistance provided by the DOST.
The said initiative is a demonstration of DOST’s commitment to empowering local farmers to develop innovative methods of farming and livelihood opportunities.
(MIYLENE C. CATUBAY, EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)
