AGRI TECHNOLOGY. Villaconzoilo village farmers in Jaro, Leyte share expertise in crop production to learners from different parts of Leyte province. The village is a former rebel-infested village awarded as the 2019 Best Community Empowerment through Science and Technology in the Philippines. (Photo courtesy of Villaconzoilo Farm School)
PALO, Leyte -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has reached out to poor and conflict-stricken villages in Eastern Visayas through its technology-based livelihood program.
In 2019, the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program has assisted 90 groups in 65 CEST communities all over the region, Ramily Uy, DOST Region 8 information officer and CEST regional coordinator, said in an interview on Thursday.
“This is our support program to end the local communist armed conflict. Our accomplishments addressed the needs of the marginalized sector that are vulnerable to the insurgency,” said Ramil Uy, DOST Region 8 information officer and CEST regional coordinator.
The program is a package of science and technology interventions that aim to build empowered, progressive, and resilient communities in Leyte, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, and Northern Samar.
The DOST has implemented 61 interventions for livelihood, 71 for education, 11 for health and nutrition, 29 for disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation, and eight for environmental protection and conservation.
The program specifically targets communities in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, the marginalized sector including farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous people, and women's groups.
Uy said DOST is committed to identifying more communities for CEST through the convergence of various government and non-government agencies, the academe, and other stakeholders.
“This is the effort of our department to seriously join the effort of the task force on ending local communist armed conflict,” he said.
CEST’s implementation entails the provision and transfer of technology-based livelihood projects to the identified communities.
Five development challenge areas that lend themselves well to science and technology responses show the extent of interventions that DOST can introduce in the target communities.
The desired results from implemented interventions contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals being pursued by the country relative to poverty reduction and people empowerment.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1093116
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