On April 19th and 20th, the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) launched a Taro Flour Making Workshop at the Training Center of TTM in Nekken, Aimeliik. TaiwanICDF, the headquarters of TTM, invited a food processing expert, Dr. Yung-Ho Chang, to conduct the workshop that enables Palauan to find a way to use modern machines to prolong the shelf life of taros. The specialist of the Palau Community College, Mr. Dalton Thomas, also demonstrated the making of some foods using taro flour. Dr. Chang got the Ph.D. of Food Technology in Iowa State University, and is currently the Professor of Department of Food and Nutrition of Providence University in Taiwan, specializing in food chemistry, food processing and cereal chemistry.
Faustina K. Rehuher-Marugg, Minister of State, Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Peter Hsieh, and Mr. Fernando Sengebau, Director of the Bureau of Agriculture, attended the first day morning’s opening ceremony. Minister Marugg gave remarks in opening ceremony. She mentioned that Palau can upgrade the processing technique of taro and can manufacture high quality products to sell to tourists, so Palau farmers can improve their livelihood through restarting the farming of their abandoned taro field and producing taro for processed products.
Over 30 participants attended this workshop from different organizations, including: Palau Resource Institute (PRI), Dilisor Agriculture Association in Ngarchelong (DAAN), Palau-Taiwan Farmers’ Association (PTFA), Palau Organic Growers’ Association (POGA), women representatives of Melekeok, Ngaraard and Ngeremlengui.
During the workshop, Dr. Chang introduced the factors affecting the making of taro flour and demonstrated the facility operation. He also shared the experience of food processing in Taiwan. All the participants, including the Minister of State, were satisfied with the information of processing technique which they learned in this workshop. Due to space limit, this term of workshop was available only for members of some associations. The public can attend the similar workshops in the 3rd and 4th quarters this year held by the TTM.
