By Kimberly S. Miguel, StratCom Correspondent

Teaching and non-teaching personnel, and students of the San Mateo Integrated School (SMIS) in Laoag City learned how to produce oyster mushroom through a training conducted by the Mariano Marcos State University - Extension Directorate on February 8-9. 

Having produced 62 fruiting bags in the training, the school is set to cultivate the school’s oyster mushroom production project. With the 23 SMIS teachers, staff, administrators, and students who participated in the two-day activity, the school is hopeful to sustain the project to benefit not only the learning institution, but its immediate community as well. 

SMIS Principal Joffrey dela Cruz thanked the MMSU Extension Directorate, headed by Dr. Marilou Lucas, for delivering the training to the school, saying, “it is a great help in boosting our Senior High School program that specializes in technical vocational course in agriculture, particularly in crop production.”

“Oyster mushroom production and processing will also create opportunities to ensure a sustained source of food in our catchment communities,” dela Cruz added.

For her part, teacher Edna Lyn Mateo expressed interest in venturing into oyster mushroom production in their households. “By doing so, we can encourage other residents in the community to embrace oyster mushroom production for them to gain additional income,” she said.

The training involved a discussion on the status and opportunities of mushroom industry, and oyster mushroom production and management. This was delivered by Prof. Eugine Ramos of the MMSU College of Agriculture, Food, and Sustainable Development.

Adding value to the product, the participants also learned about making pickled mushroom and mushroom chips with a hands-on training facilitated by Ms. Judelyn Mandac and Ms. Realyn Salvador of the College of Industrial Technology.

Oyster mushroom production and processing is one of the technologies being advocated by MMSU to create livelihood and increase income through production and value adding. This technology already benefitted entrepreneurs in Currimao and Pasuquin, and the persons deprived of liberty in Batac District Jail. 

The SMIS is the first school in Laoag City that was trained on oyster mushroom production. (HLY/JVBT/DPTJ, StratCom)