The University of Antique fights COVID-19 by ensuring that Antiqueños will have access to healthy and nutritious food.
The university, through its extension services and partnership with various national government agencies and local government units, produced and distributed the complementary food of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). The equipment under the project, Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) of DOST Region VI, was used in the production of the complementary food blends.
The Sibalom Technology and Livelihood Support Hub (TechnoHub), situated at the University of Antique-Main Campus, is one of the processing hubs under the project which focuses mainly on the production of rice and grain-based products. It was made operational in 2018 and aims to promote good health and nutrition especially to the communities where malnutrition is prevalent. It also aims to help local farmers by purchasing their products as raw materials in producing the complementary food products intended for nutritional feeding.
Complementary food products like Rice-Mongo Cookies and Rice-Mongo Puffs were provided to the frontliners in eight hospitals and Rural Health Units (RHUs) in Antique to sustain their energy and boost their health during this pandemic. Likewise, children from the 17 municipalities of Antique will also be provided with healthy complementary food blend to boost their health and wellness.
This worthwhile effort started in April and will last until August 2020. (DOST VI)
