Organic food, organic farming, and health enthusiasts are invited to the Agriculture and Fisheries Technology Forum (AFTF) that will exhibit food that are naturally Filipino-grown or raised.
Organically grown and raised adlai and native pigs will be featured in cooking demonstrations and food preparations during a technology forum hosted by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR). It will be held on August 11 to 14, 2011 at Megatrade Hall 2, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.
BAR is popularizing the growing of adlai as it is a staple of some Filipino natives in Mindanao, but its anti-diabetes and nutrient-rich property should benefit everyone. It is rich in fiber, protein, and energy and is an herbal medicine used for its anti inflammatory, anti-allergen, anti-mutagen, and anti-diabetes benefits.
Health-conscious consumers will also get an orientation on the use and farming of a natural sweetener, stevia, which doesn’t raise the body’s blood sugar level and is in fact an anti-diabetes herb. Three-to-five leaves of stevia is enough to sweeten one’s coffee. Importantly, stevia may be grown in anybody’s home.
Seedlings of adlai and stevia, along with other healthful crops, will be available for sale during the forum.
Free tasting of food using adlai, stevia, and native pigs will also be available. These native pigs are organically-grown as farming does not involve use of antiobiotics and other formulas used in commercial hog growing. Other food products as coffee, cocoa, vegetables and fruits will be featured in exhibits during the seventh AFTF.
“We have more than 90 exhibitors. Organic farming and climate change will be new features this year since it is a thrust of the Department of Agriculture to create awareness on these,” said BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar.
There will also be workshops-seminars on business opportunities and processing-production of other healthful foods including multi-medicinal cashew nuts, anti-diabetes yacon products, fish empanada, seaweed spaghetti and leche flan, pickled ampalaya, garlic-enriched noodles buffalo milk, and non-chemical banana.
For technical subjects, seminars will be on biofuel feedstock, algae, legumes (peanut, mungbean, soybean), climate change’s impacts on agriculture, farming of rice in flood-prone areas, sea urchin grow-out culture in cages, coconut sap sugar production, coconut by-product galactomannan, and native swine and quail production.
As an added come-on, free books on a rainfed agriculture guidebook, climate change and agriculture research, and sweet sorghum business will be given away via raffle in between workshops or seminars.
For more information, please call BAR-Technology Commercialization Department, 928-8505, 928-8624.
