FAB LAB. A staff of the newly unveiled fabrication laboratory of the Mariano Marcos State University in Batac City, Ilocos Norte demonstrates how 3D printing works in this undated photo. The Department of Trade and Industry on Tuesday (Oct. 24, 2023) turned over the equipment to MMSU as a shared service facility to help farmers and MSMEs boost their productivity. (Photo courtesy of DTI)
LAOAG CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) inaugurated on Tuesday a PHP4.9 million pioneering fabrication laboratory aimed at agriculture mechanization.
DTI awarded the Fabrication and Automation Research for the Mechanization of Agriculture Laboratory (FARM-A-Lab) to the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte as a grant to assist farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in on-farm activities, food processing, food preservation, product testing, and packaging while continuously developing food and non-food products and innovative technologies that will uplift the lives of rural communities.
"This innovative space equips individuals with cutting-edge tools and knowledge to mechanize their operations, boost productivity, and elevate their competitiveness in the ever-evolving global marketplace,” DTI provincial director Amelia E. Galvez said.
Galvez said the facility would likewise be used for multi-agency collaboration to foster innovation and facilitate knowledge sharing among a diverse range of stakeholders in the Ilocos Region.
DTI regional operations group Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona, during the same event, underscored the department’s commitment to supporting the region’s agricultural sector and its importance to the country's overall growth.
Also present during the turnover ceremony were Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos, Batac Mayor Albert Chua, and MMSU president Shirley Agrupis.
The laboratory is expected to capacitate MSMEs that are into small-scale machine shops, agri-machinery fabrication, agri-based food product development, furniture and bamboo handicrafts making, fish and fish-based processing, and ceramics making, among others.
It can assist in the development of appropriate tools and equipment to support MSMEs’ daily operations, as well as the provision of various skills training, such as on small-scale farm and fishery equipment design, fabrication of digital design, and 3D printing.
Spearheaded by experts from the MMSU, five machine fabricators will be trained and capacitated to use the FabLab equipment that includes a laser cutter, industrial milling machine, open-source large format desktop 3D printer, stereolithography 3D printer, and design software.
The lab will also benefit MMSU’s civil engineering program, enabling students to use the facility to boost their learning experience. (PNA)
