15-16 April 2026

The BSU-NPRCRTC, in collaboration with the Local Government of Itogon and the Municipal Agriculturist Office, conducted a training on cassava production and processing in Sitio Lusod, Itogon, Benguet. This activity was organized in response to the request of the community, particularly the Lusod Ambasa Ancestral Domain Indigenous Peoples Organization (LAADIPO), to enhance their knowledge on cassava production and to explore opportunities in cassava processing. The two-day training equipped participants with knowledge on the status of cassava production in the country, cultural management practices, pest and disease management, and cassava utilization. The activity also engaged participants in hands-on cassava planting, as well as in the preparation of cassava-based products such as cassava flour polvoron and cassava kutsinta. Additionally, the BSU-NPRCRTC has become a regular partner of the LGU in providing training on cassava production and utilization. In the previous year, similar trainings were conducted in Sitio Balococ, Dalupirip, and Ucab. Participants from these earlier trainings continue to produce cassava-based products such as cassava polvoron and cassava kutsinta, both for occasional selling and for household consumption.

This initiative serves as a vital contribution to the global sustainability agenda by addressing several key objectives. It supports SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by providing indigenous communities with the technical skills and value-adding processing techniques necessary to generate sustainable income. Furthermore, the program advances SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by strengthening local food security and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through the promotion of localized, efficient agricultural practices and the utilization of climate-resilient root crops.//NPRCRTC