CONSIDERING the need to provide livelihood opportunities for the marginalized sector amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Central Philippines State University (CPSU) conducted a training dubbed “Essential Oil Production and Processing” for the local farmers and university personnel.
CPSU President Dr. Aladino C. Moraca says the training program has at least three major goals.
First, it aims to inculcate in the minds of the students the importance of technopreneurial activities, and instil in their heart that there is “gold in grass.”
Second, to explore revenue sources which can serve as an income generating project (IGP) for the CPSU, and third, to introduce available and practical technologies which can provide income for the local farmers, as well as their families.
“It is expected that everybody will take part in the process of generating wealth in the community level, as well as in the university, by developing sustainable technologies, which will also serve as a learning model for the students to become entrepreneurs in the future,” Moraca stressed.
The training program, which was held at the CPSU Main Campus in Barangay Camingawan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, was realized through a Public, Private Partnership between the CPSU, its Extension and Community Services (ECS) Office, Bacolod City-based RU Foundry and Machine Shop Corporation (RUFMSC), and the Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation, Inc. (EcoAgri).
Some 30 individuals composed of local farmers and university personnel completed the training sessions that aim to impart knowledge, skills, and attitude on the technical production and processing of essential oils by using indigenous resources, such as lemon grass and citronella.
The activity primarily aims to help strengthen the local essential oil industry, considering the rising demand for disinfectants, along with its other uses and benefits.
The training also targets to improve the overall yield and quality of locally and organically-produced essential oils, which is expected to create small enterprise within the community and help improve the local economy, particularly in the province.
ECS director Dr. Jimmy Degillo says their primary objective is to share the practical home-based ideas to make the farmers aware on how to produce essential oils that are made from locally available resources, which are cost-effective, economically viable, and essential.
EcoAgri program manager Dante P. Escarmoso led the participants in an engaging and interactive discussion on the process of preparing essential oils from citronella and lemon grass, which involves hands-on activities for the actual preparation of the different products.
Following the training program, the participants were able to produce 90 liters of hydrosol as sanitizer, and more than 20 bottles of essential oils from citronella and lemon grass, which could also be used as ingredient in preparing different products, like disinfectants, detergents, soaps, toilet products, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, perfume, confectionery food products, soft drinks, distilled alcoholic beverages, and insecticides, among others.
As a premiere agricultural institution with its “The Seed of Life-Changing Technology” battlecry, the CPSU responds to the call of helping the community by developing and sharing effective, practical, and sustainable innovations and agri-related practices./PN
