28/08/2026
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐
๐๐ฆ ๐ฝ๐๐ฆ ๐ท. ๐ด๐๐๐๐
In line with MMSU's commitment to providing responsive and community-based extension services, and in response to the request of the Barangay Council of Barangay Aglipay for technical assistance in organic waste management and environmentally sustainable agricultural practices, the Extension Directorate, in collaboration with the College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development (CAFSD), conducted a two-day training on Vermicomposting and Organic Waste Management for Sustainable Community Farming on August 27โ28, 2026, at the Community Center of Barangay Aglipay, Pinili, Ilocos Norte.
The training equipped 22 participants with practical knowledge and skills in vermicomposting and organic waste management. It emphasized converting locally available biodegradable materials into useful agricultural inputs and promoting sustainable farming practices in the community. Trainees included barangay officials and farmer-leaders from Brgy. Aglipay, Pinili, led by Barangay Captain Aldreds Lucero Edmalin.
Dr. Floramante C. Pastor, a faculty member at the MMSU CAFSD and Project Leader of the Bioorganic Fertilizer and Vegetable Project, served as the speaker in the lecture series. He shared his technical expertise on organic waste management, covering topics such as:
โข An introduction to vermiculture and vermicomposting
โข Organic materials suitable for vermicomposting
โข Establishment and management of a vermicomposting facility
โข Selection and management of composting earthworms
โข Harvesting, processing, and utilization of vermicompost
โข Strategies for promoting and sustaining vermicomposting in the community
As part of the two-day activity, participants visited the MMSU-CAFSD Vermicomposting Facility. Guided by Dr. Pastor, trainees gained firsthand experience operating production equipmentโincluding an organic waste shredder, mechanical sieves, and processing machineryโand observed commercial-scale bed preparations for African Nightcrawlers (ANC).
Following the site visit, an action-planning session was held to help participants draft concrete strategies for establishing local vermicomposting facilities and integrating organic waste management practices in their barangay. The session was facilitated by Ms. Abegel Agonoy Joson, Chief of Technology Promotion and Demonstration Services (TPDS), alongside Barangay Captain Edmalin.
Dr. Marlowe Aquino, Director for Extension, emphasized the significance and economic potential of the initiative. He urged participants to convert abundant farm wasteโsuch as chicken, cow, and cattle manureโinto a sustainable, income-generating business. Dr. Aquino challenged the officials and participants to organize their team and put their learning into practice, noting that while many farmer groups across Ilocos Norte have received training, only a few have successfully transformed the practice into a commercial enterprise.
Furthermore, Dr. Aquino designated the group as a "Social Laboratory" for specialized extension interventions and assured them of MMSU's commitment to providing continuous technical assistance.
Barangay Captain Edmalin expressed his appreciation to MMSU for bringing the training directly to the community. He reminded his constituents to do their part, noting that if they succeed at the barangay level, other community members will replicate their success. He highlighted the transformative potential of vermicomposting to address local waste management challenges while creating economic opportunities. Urging them to take the program as seriously as their prior training in bamboo production and processing, he pointed to the commercial opportunities already built through the Bamboo Farmers Association. Driven by a vision to make their community a model for sustainable agriculture, Captain Edmalin shared his dream of leaving a meaningful legacy that continues to benefit community members long after his term ends.
Other training participants also shared their support and renewed commitment: ๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ข, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to build on his background, voicing optimism that the knowledge gained will be actively implemented in their community.
๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ซ๐จ, a Barangay Kagawad, highlighted a shift from individual initiatives to a collective community vision. He emphasized turning agricultural wasteโsuch as cattle manure previously deemed uselessโinto a valuable resource. Urging fellow participants to start small, work as a group, and share their knowledge, he expressed confidence that the project will boost both local barangay development and household livelihoods.
๐๐ฌ. ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐ฅ reflected on the eye-opening experience of converting animal waste and dried foliage into productive organic material instead of burning or discarding them. She called on her peers to fully commit to applying these skills for the benefit of future generations.
The two-day training concluded with joint commitments from MMSU and barangay officials to continuously support the participants as they transition from learning to practical application. # #
