2011 Annual Report - PhilDHRRA-Mindanao

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY CENTER
The Appropriate Technology Center (ATC) is
mandated to promote technologies to improve
agricultural production in the rural areas. It aims
to explore the promise of adopting technology
fashioned from the traditions of the people,
improved according to the pace and demands of
the user, and utilized not to pollute but to preserve
nature. Equipped with training facilities, a
fabrication unit, and an experimental farm, the
ATC has been able to contribute towards rural
development through its services and programs
as it extends technical help to rural communities
to set up village-level activities to generate
income or provide for their needs by the use of
local resources.
Another focus for this year was the production of
paper Crete for walling to be used in low cost
model housing in coordination with Fr. Robert J.
Suchan, SJ. The paper Crete was a waste
utilization response to address the waste
management problem where the idea of
recycling and re-use is being adopted. This
initiative has been funded by the KKKK -
ChildFund project.
Another action done by ATC was the major and
minor repairs of recreational facilities facilitated
for the KKKK project. It continued to assist and
partner with ChildFund beneficiaries and
facilitated hands-on training on paper Crete
production.
Its income generating facility continued to cater
35 different groups from the youth, farmers,
students and other religious groups and
organizations who had stayed in the dorm facility.
Moreover, Agricultural engineering students from
Xavier University and other schools stayed for
about 3 months in the dorm for their board exam
review.
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ATC also continues its study on the most
effective approaches in development. It has
continued to undertake its Research and
dissemination of alternative energy technologies
as well as in social technologies such as the
community information and planning system and
others. It remained active in its involvement with
SEARSOLIN modules on participatory
development and ChildFund – Kaabag sa
Kalambuan pinaagi sa Kabatangan sa
Katilingban (KKKK) Project. It has maintained its
linkages with social development of Human
Resources in the rural areas and the Approtech -
Asia and with the government agencies.
For the year, ATC continued to fabricate a number of
machines and equipment that are used in sustainable
agriculture. The following machineries being
fabricated include:
Ÿ CDSP – 6 units ( chopper, decorticator, shredder
and pulverizer ) for silage feed making and vermin
compost
Ÿ Peanut Sheller, cassava grater, and fruit presser
for food processing
Ÿ Micro grain mill, Corn Sheller and Grain Drier for
post harvest
Ÿ Ferro cement tank for water catchments.