AN enterprising group of fisherfolk in Anda will process root crops belonging to the taro family into delicious ice cream while another menu of noodles is mixed with shells. The 80 household-members of the Talisay Fishermen's Association (TAFIAS) got the necessary seed fund for their livelihood project, according to group president Virgilio Mainit. They are ready with their counterpart capital. The financial assistance was turned over by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provincial head Wilson Cenas and capitol executive assistant for external affairs Isabelito Tongco. The group will process taro root crops, which include paw, gabi and karlan , into cookies, suman , flour, etcetera.

Mainit said they will ask for technical assistance from the Bohol Island State University (BISU) in addition to the raw knowledge some members learned from scouring the Internet for technology. His wife teaches at BISU. As another means of livelihood, the group presently raises is freshwater tilapia in a fishpond containing 12,000 fingerlings. Mainit thanked the government for its support to their livelihood initiatives, which are also in response to the governor's call for food-self sufficiency right in the household level. The turnover of the livelihood fund assistance was witnessed by Anda Mayor Angelina Simacio, TAFIAS vice president Arturo Ricafrente, business manager Walter Jandayan and other association officials. The group has planned to also venture into vermiculture and establish a demonstration farm, mangrove reforestation and one more food enterprise which is fish processing. (Ven rebo Arigo)