VSU-TBI successfully conducted a 3-day training on “Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Process Optimization in Cassava Grates and Flour Processing” at the PNB-KGB Multipurpose Cooperative Compound on December 17-19,2025. Organized through collaborative efforts between the VSU–Technology Business Incubator (VSU-TBI), Visayas State University (VSU), RAISE Region 8 ATBI, PhilRootcrops, and DOST–PCAARRD, the program empowered local cooperatives with industry-standard skills for safe and efficient cassava processing.

Spearheaded by experts Mary Rose M. Maniego, Leonifer S. Escala, and Julius S. Bastasa, with facilitation by Analine L. Legua, the training delivered hands-on instruction tailored to cassava’s unique challenges. Participants gained mastery in GMP compliance. GMP is the foundational framework that ensures product safety and regulatory adherence, such as sanitation, hygiene protocols, raw material selection and handling, streamlined processing workflows, and rigorous quality control measures.

The three-day training focused on GMP-relevant sanitation and process optimization and market preparedness. Participants were trained on BFAD standards and sanitation validation, as well as raw material handling and contamination prevention. Participants were able to increase grating and milling production efficiency and decrease processing time by 25–40%. They were also trained on moisture, particle size, and cyanide safety testing. Other topics included sensory testing, packaging, shelf-life extension, cost control, and target yield control (60-70%). Cooperatives were trained to meet the requirements of institutional buyers. The initiative addresses post-harvest challenges to provide safer and more valuable cassava products, reduce waste and improve market access and increase income for rural communities.

This initiative continues VSU-TBI’s momentum from recent successes like the ube paste workshop and RTCMS series, solidifying partnerships that bridge research with grassroots enterprise. The shared commitment of VSU, PhilRootcrops, DOST–PCAARRD, and RAISE Region 8 ATBI exemplifies a unified push for food safety excellence and agripreneurial growth in the region.