In a bid to enhance the local ube (purple yam) industry and create additional income opportunities for farmers, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Central Visayas, in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Alburquerque through its Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), conducted a two-day Capability Building and Collaborative Processing on ube for Value-Added Products on June 22–23, 2026, in Alburquerque, Bohol.
The activity equipped farmers with the knowledge and practical skills needed to transform ube into marketable value-added products, enabling them to diversify their income sources and maximize the economic potential of their harvests. It also strengthened the municipality’s growing ube industry by promoting product innovation and encouraging enterprise development among local farmers.
The training gathered 23 farmer-participants from three farmers’ associations actively engaged in ube production in the municipality: the Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Basacdacu (NAMASABA), Bangon Dangay Farmers Association (BDFA), and Hugpong sa mga Organikong Mag-uuma sa Lapok. Of the total participants, 12 were beneficiaries from the two DA-SAAD-assisted associations – 7 from NAMASABA and five from BDFA – while the remaining 11 participants represented Hugpong sa mga Organikong Mag-uuma sa Lapok.
The initiative was organized in response to the increasing production of ube in Alburquerque and the need to maximize its economic value through processing and product development. Through the training, farmers learned various techniques in transforming fresh ube into value-added products, including product processing, packaging, and labeling, enabling them to diversify their income sources and minimize losses during periods of oversupply and low market prices.
The training featured lectures and hands-on demonstrations facilitated by Rachelle Y. Madrigal, Science Research Assistant of the DA – Central Visayas, who provided technical guidance on food processing and product development.
Windel N. Malaran, Municipal Agriculturist of Alburquerque, emphasized in his message that the ube processing training was conducted to help farmer associations address the growing market demand for ube products. He added that the training seeks to establish sustainable production systems and value-added product development among the associations, create market linkages for ube growers, promote Alburquerque’s identity as a producing locality of quality ube products, and encourage farmers to venture into processing and entrepreneurship.
The participating associations also expressed their aspiration to scale up both production and processed products to become more competitive in the market. Alongside this goal, they committed to promoting organic farming practices to ensure food safety and sustainability. The associations further recognized the importance of strengthening collaboration among farmer organizations, the MAO, and other government partners in advancing the local ube industry.
The DA-SAAD Program continues to strengthen farmers’ livelihoods by enhancing their capacities in agricultural production and enterprise development. Through the program’s interventions, the communal production areas of the NAMSABA and BDFA have already progressed to their second cycle of ube planting using planting materials derived from their initial harvests. Furthermore, through the income generated from their communal projects, the associations were able to procure additional planting materials to further expand production.
Complementing these efforts, the Municipal Agriculture Office actively coordinated with other government agencies to secure additional support and resources, further reinforcing the associations’ production initiatives and promoting the sustainability of their ube enterprises.
This collaboration among the DA-SAAD Program, the LGU of Alburquerque, and partner agencies has created opportunities for farmer associations to strengthen production support systems and develop sustainable agri-enterprises centered on ube production and processing.
Through this collaborative effort, the DA-SAAD Program and the Municipal Agriculture Office reaffirmed their commitment to helping farmers transform agricultural challenges into opportunities by developing value-added products that can compete in the market and contribute to rural economic development and improved livelihoods in farming communities.
