D.A., Nestle to support coffee industry via production technology training
Against the backdrop of climate change, coffee-growing provinces—among them Aurora, Bohol and Mindoro—are getting a big boost from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Nestlé Philippines Inc. (NPI) through a joint project involving various training programs, farm planting modes and expansion plans for the subsector.
The establishment of a coffee mother plant garden and nursery is one of the DA targets to heighten the competitiveness of the coffee industry.
As part of the coffee development program this year, the target would be the expansion of farms in
Based on reports from the High Value Commercial Crops (HVCC) Program, a total of 41,675 seedlings were planted in the
This accounts for 25% of the 100 hectares allotted for the coffee production project in
DA officials said that through its intervention programs, it expects to establish major coffee plantations by 2011.
These programs include the Coffee Production Technology Training workshop in
The workshop included lectures on the economic importance of coffee, plantation care and maintenance of nursery, harvesting and post harvesting, quality control and marketing.
Since last year, the DA and NPI, through a memorandum of agreement (MOA), have supported coffee farmers in expanding and enriching their farms to transform them into coffee plantations, which is currently being implemented in these provinces.
The MOA which took effect last July 11, 2009 was signed by then DA Secretary Arthur Yap and Doreswamy Nandkishore, the chairman and CEO of NPI. (DA Press Office)
CPAR e-Pinoy FARMS® for Fisheries deployment concluded
After the successful implementation of the e-Pinoy FARMS® platform rolled-out in all Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center (RIARC) offices with their identified CPAR projects, Optiserve Technologies, Inc is now adopting the system for CPAR fisheries. The e-Pinoy FARMS® CPAR Fisheries stands for Fishery and Aquatic Resource Management System (FARMS).
This year, the deployment of the e-Pinoy servers was concluded. Regions 4A, 5, 6, 7, and 9 received their respective fisheries servers handed over by Optiserve Chief Executive Officer Cheryl Marie U. Natividad, together with BAR staff.
This initiative was funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) with the Optiserve Technologies, Inc. developing the e-Pinoy FARMS®. The project was created to provide an enabling tool for BAR and its Regional Fisheries Research and
The e-Pinoy FARMS will operationalize the research-extension linkage among major stakeholders: fisherfolk, LGUs, Private Sector and the NGOs through the active partnership between RFRDC and eventually with the Regional Fisheries Training Centers (RFTC).
The CPAR M/E envisions achieving full realization of the dynamic interaction between information and knowledge of coastal and inland resource management by providing the linkage between research and extension towards achieving sustainable fisheries development. This was explained by Ms. Natividad in the CPAR M/E Fisheries Stakeholders’ Briefing e-Pinoy FARMS®.
Based on the premise, gains attained in the CPAR fisheries/agricultu re will be diffused to the expansion sites i.e. to inland and coastal fisheries to hasten their entry into the world of Agribusiness: enterprise/ industry-level operations.
“It is only by making fisheries and agriculture information- driven and making farmers and fisherfolk-informat ion sensitive that we can change the state of our agriculture and fisheries and, make it globally competitive,” Ms. Natividad concluded. (Ma. Eloisa E. Hernandez, DA-BAR)
DA 8 concludes Rabies Awareness Celebration
Every month of March, the Department of Agriculture- 8 (DA-8) takes part in the celebration of the Rabies Awareness Month. For this year, information campaign, dog vaccination and other clinic services for biting animals, especially dogs, have been extended to different areas in Region 8 recorded to have rabies cases.
Among these areas are Baybay, Carigara, and Mayorga, Leyte; Malitbog, Southern Leyte;
The said undertaking was made possible through a counterparting scheme between the DA and the LGUs. “We are very grateful to the LGUs for their active support in terms of vaccine provision and technical assistance,” says Dr. Norietta F. Orsua, DA 8’s focal person on rabies.
Dr. Orsua revealed that based on comparative records in the years 2008 and 2009, rabies cases in the region dwindled, from 19 to 17 in humans and from 16 to 14 in dogs. Of the region’s 6 provinces, she cited
The Act mandates the conduct of mass dog vaccination; dog registration; impounding and disposal of unregistered, stray and unvaccinated dogs; information and education campaign on rabies prevention and control; and free routine immunization of schoolchildren aged 5 to 14 in areas where there is high incidence of rabies.
Dr. Orsua further highlighted the importance of responsible pet ownership. “For those who own dogs as pet, you should have your dogs vaccinated regularly against rabies. You should likewise maintain control over them and not allow them to roam the streets or any public place without a leash and provide them with proper grooming, adequate food and clean shelter,” she said.
If bitten by a dog, she recommends immediate and thorough washing of the wound with soap and running water for at least 10 minutes and consulting a physician to determine whether the victim needs anti-tetanus or anti-rabies vaccine. (Jessa Faye Macapanas/DA 8)
Regional Gawad Saka winners declared
Regional Executive Director Oscar O. Parawan has recently declared eight regional Gawad Saka who will be honored and given awards during the farmers and fisherfolk’s month in May.
According to Parawan the Gawad Saka Award is an annual search of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to showcase agriculture as a competitive economic activity as well as promoting integrated farming with crops, vegetables and livestocks as a profitable venture of the farmer/fisherfolk or organization which will benefit the Filipinos by increasing food supply to sustain national food security.
The DA executive director named the Gawad Saka awardees as Agricultural Achievers for the year 2010 as follows: Two from
Three winners come from Molave municipality - Noel delos Reyes of barangay Maloloy-on as Outstanding Rice Farmer; Dindo delos Santos, 25, of barangay Culo is the Outstanding Young Farmer while Adelberto Baniqued of barangay Makuguihon as Outstanding Farmer for High Value Commercial Crops.
The Farm Family category winner is Mr.& Mrs. Rogelio Maata and family of barangay Maleyo, Dumingag municipality, and Lakewood Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative (LAFAMCO) for the Small Farmers Organization category.
This year’s Outstanding Corn Farmer is Cesar Malinao, Jr. of barangay Venus, Sergio Osmeña, Zamboanga del Norte.
It may be known that Parawan issued Special Order No. 4 dated Jan. 26, 2010 for the conduct of Annual Search along with the creation of the Regional Search and Technical Working committees chaired by Regional Technical Director Constancio Alama.
Adjudged Agricultural Achievers have passed the search and evaluation process set by the Search Committee. They all have complete records of their farm operations and expenses for two years immediately preceding the evaluation period.
At least 15 categories were vied for the Gawad Saka awards. The other seven which the region do not have awardees are: 1) Coconut Farmer, 2) Fisherfolk – fish culture, 3) fisherfolk (fish capture), 4) Rural Improvement Club, 5) Agricultural Entrepreneur, 6) Agricultural and Fishery Council and 7) Young Farmers/Fisherfolk Organization.
If Molave in Zamboanga del Sur has three achievers this year, Labangan for the last three consecutive years has produced National Gawad Saka awardees. Last year, the National winner for Rice Farmer was Bonifacio Corpuz of Dalapang, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur. Corpuz is a living example of the saying: “from rugs to riches” due to farming.
The family of Mr. & Mrs. Reynaldo Montañez of barangay Lantian, Labangan was also adjudged as Farm Family National Gawad Saka awardee.
In 2008, a lady Small Animal Raiser Annie Sitjar, also of barangay Lantian, Labangan won the national distinction nation.
Corpuz and Montanez couple and Sitjar were among lucky farmers who were received Presidential Citation from President Gloria Arroyo, cash awards and Gawad Saka trophy.
In 2004, Constancio Ceniza of Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga del Sur was the National Gawad Saka Awardee as Coconut Farmer.
The Gawad Saka is an annual search since the 70s to give honor and recognition to farmers and institutions for advancing and promoting Philippine Agriculture. (Remai S. Alejado/DA9)
