DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo commended the Lao Integrated Farms Inc. based in Barangay Eman, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, for bringing in improvements at the rural areas in the part of this province, using appropraite technology innovations - as one could learn in an article by carina L. Cayon of the PIA 11.
Montejo said that the inventor and producer of the Donnabelle coconut sugar and syrup products made from coconut sap. epitomizes DOST's countryside development program as an effective and equitable strategy in realizing President Benigno Aquino's goal for an inclusive economic growth.
he explained that the countryside development covers the program of developing appropriate technology, improving existing products to be world-class products and generating jobs around the area.
He said that the enterprise "clearly exemplifies' this, citing particularly the present employment that the firm has provided for the rural folks in its surroundings.
"We hope that the company would permit to become a model of the program," the dost official said during his visit at the farm recently to see the impact of the DOST-assisted projects under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Prpgram (SETUP). The DOST-SETUP provided the Lao Integrated Farms a financial assistance of 660,000 Pesos with no interest and payable for three years.
During the visit, Lao Integrated Farms owner and chei executive officer Benjamin Lao informed the DOST Secretary of how the business has improved a lot starting ten years ago from a barren land in Barangay Eman.
Lao recalled that he started developing about one-hectare coconut farm and introduced organic farming, until currently its Donnabelle coco sugar and syrup products are being exported to Australia, Germany and Japan. The business has also expanded to other coco sugar-based products such as ginger tea, moringa, lemon grass and seasoning.
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