MAGUINDANAO – Minister Aida Silongan and Science and Technology Services (STS) section conducted an on-site visit on Al-Muzafar Agriventures, Inc (AMAVI) Banana Plantation at Brgy. Makir, Datu Odin Sinsuat on November 19, 2021.
The on-site visit is per the request of Datu Michael Abas Kida, AMAVI Banana Plantation Owner, to discuss with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) their intent to benefit from the ministry’s technical assistance.
Mr. Kida discussed with Minister Silongan the current state of the banana plantation. They want to seek assistance from the ministry to develop finished products out of the banana harvest. The banana plantation supplied abundant raw materials that could be developed into flour, catsup, and other products.
Minister Silongan said that the ministry is willing to help the AMAVI Farm with the technical assistance to develop their human resources and production.
“We will provide you with technical assistance that is suitable to the needs of your cooperative,” Minister Silongan said.
The AMAVI Banana Plantation has been operating for almost two years and has been estimated to produce 300,000 boxes of bananas. They are exporting their banana products to the Middle East, China, and Japan.
Mr. Kida believed that the ministry’s assistance would be a big help for their growing cooperative.
“Alhamdulillah, su MOST na masla i makadtabang salekami. Isa sya na su training endu technical know-how na mga workers tanu especially siya sa packing house, ikadwa na madakel siya i dig ka-export, bangenin name I tabang na MOST para maumbal inyaba mga raw materials as banana catsup, banana cereal, or flour. Endu maumbal pan su kaped sa organic fertilizer,”
[Praise Allah that MOST is a big help for us. One of the things we want to acquire from MOST is our workers’ technology training and technical know-how, especially those working in the packing house. Secondly, there are banana raw materials that cannot be exported. We are seeking assistance from MOST so that these raw materials can produce banana catsup, banana cereal, or flour, and others would be processed to organic fertilizer.] Mr. Kida said during the interview.
“Samaya na mga 350 workers kami siya sa plantation, amayka maumbal i kaped a nya a raw materials a dig ka-export sa kaped a produkto na mas makagenerate pan sa income, makadtabang sa mga pamilya na workers. Kadakelan sa mga workers a nya na members na BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces), kaluma na BIAF, wata na BIAF. With the intervention na MOST sa levelling na mas masla pan su maidagdag a kataw para kanilan,”
[We are 350 workers here on the plantation. If raw materials that cannot be exported would turn into other produced products, it might generate another income to help our workers’ families. Most of our workers here are BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces), wives of BIAF, children of BIAF. With the intervention of MOST, more knowledge and technical skills could be imparted for them.]
Meanwhile, Monawara Abdulbadie, Science and Technology Services (STS) Head, said that AMAVI Incorporated might avail the Science and Technology Livelihood Assistance Program (STLAP) under the Technology Transfer and Commercialization (TTCP) of the ministry.
“Since AMAVI Inc. pursues technical assistance from MOST, we are pleased to assist them under the Science and Technology Livelihood Assistance Program (STLAP). In this program, they will be assisted with technology training, processing equipment for their raw materials, and other technology intervention,” Abdulbadie said.
AOM-IO