Improving access to agricultural technologies while expanding economic opportunities for small and marginalized women who are engaged in agriculture, the Department of Agriculture in Ilocos through the Gender and Development Unit conducted two batches of successive livelihood training on value-adding, food processing, and labeling on mushroom recently as part of the Women’s Month celebration this March.

In separate venues, the first batch of the training was attended by 30 members of the San Isidro Cacao Producers Association, the Green Ladies Association and Panagkaikaisa ti Mannalon held on March 21 at the Brgy. Hall of San Isidro, Naguilian, La Union. The second batch was conducted at the Processing Center of Rural Improvement Club in Alilem, Ilocos Sur participated in by 20 members of Puso ti Kababaihan.

During the said livelihood training, Ms. Filomena Bugaoan, Agriculturist II of DA-RFO I demonstrated how to prepare 6 delicious recipes of cooking mushroom that include making crispy mushroom, siomai, ice cream, kropek, yema and embutido.

Topics on food safety and product labeling were also added to the discussion which provided the attendees salient background on how they can be able to start their own mushroom processing business.

To help the training participants start their business on mushroom processing, the processing materials in the form of ingredients, equipment, and paraphernalia that form part their start-up kit used during the demo were turned over by the GAD to the participants helping them provide a livelihood for the members and to their association as well.