DA to host AFACI’s 1st General Assembly
The Department of Agriculture will host the 1st General Assembly of the Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI) starting today (April 15) at the Summit Ridge Hotel in Tagaytay City, with representatives from 12 member-countries joining the gathering to discuss projects towards promoting sustainable agricultural green growth in the Asian region.
Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla said the projects to be tackled in the two-day conference also aim to eradicate poverty and contribute to economic development through technological cooperation in the agriculture and food sector.
Besides the
Among the highlights of the event is the awarding of a check worth $65,000 to the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s High Value Commercial Crops Program (roughly P3 million), which represents a grant from the Rural Development Administration of Korea for the project, “Extension of Shelf-life and Enhancement of Fruit Quality Through the Development of Postharvest Techniques on Mango and other Tropical Fruits.”
The Korea-funded initiative aims to address the Philippine’s problem of exporting fresh mangoes to other countries, Fondevilla said.
The said grant is a result of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Agricultural Scientific and Technical Cooperation signed by former Secretary Arthur C. Yap during the visit of PGMA in
An implementing agreement covering several pan-Asian projects, workshops and training programs will also be signed during the conference.
The AFACI was established through an MOU signed among the member-countries on Nov. 3 last year.
It involves international collaboration for the development of sustainable agriculture and food technology to help economies deal with the changes in the agricultural environment triggered by, among others, global warming and technology transfer and development. (DA Press Office)
Climate Change, tinalakay sa Regional Farm Family Forum
Sinimulan kahapon ang dalawang (2) araw na programa para sa “Regional Farm Family Forum for Region IV-A,” Abril 13-14, 2010 sa Monte Vista Hotspring and Conference Resort sa bayan ng Calamba, Laguna. Ito ay matagumpay na dinaluhan ng may pitumpo’t limang (75) opisyal at miyemro ng Rural Improvement Club (RIC), Pambansang Manalon, Mag-uuma, Magbabaul, Magsasaka ng Pilipinas (P4MP) at 4H Club na nagmula sa limang (5) probinsya ng CALABARZON.
Ang naturang programa na may temang “Youth Empowerment on Climate Change Adaptation: A Time for Action” ay may layuning (1) mapaibayo ang kapabilidad ng mga opisyal at miyembro ng Rural Based Organization (RAOs) sa pagtuklas at pagbuo ng mga livelihood projects; (2)maibahagi ang kaalaman sa mga posibleng epekto ng “climate change” sa agrikultura at gayundin ay; (3) mataguyod ang pagkakaibiganan sa pagitan ng mga partisipante. Ito ay programa sa ilalim ng Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) IV-A na nakabase sa University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Calamba, Laguna.
Nagsimula ang programa sa ganap na ikasampu ng umaga kung saan pinakilala ni Ms. Veronica V. Esguerra, Technical Service Head ng ATI, ang mga panauhin, staff, at partisipante. Nagbigay naman ng pampasiglang mensahe ang Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary at Regional Executive Director ng rehiyon na si Asec. Dennis B. Araullo.
Sa panimula ay binati ni Asec. Araullo ang mga nag-organisa ng nasabing programa at lahat ng nagsidalo. Nabanggit niya na ang Pilipinas ay isa sa mga bansang unang nakararanas ng epekto ng “Climate Change” o pagbabago ng klima katulad na lamang ng pananalanta ng “Bagyong Ondoy” noong Setyembre ng nakaraang taon at ang pananalanta ngayon ng El Niño na nagsimula ilang buwan lang matapos ang nasabing bagyo. “Hindi mapipigilan ang pagdating ng ganitong mga klima kung kaya dapat ay atin itong paghandaan,” aniya.
Ayon pa sa kanyang mensahe, kabilang sa paghahanda ay ang pagtatanim ng mga pananim na naaangkop sa kasalukuyang klima. Kinakailangan ng pagsasaliksik ng mga kapalit na mga pananim sa pabago-bagong panahon upang hindi mawalan o bumaba ang kita ng mga magsasaka.
Binigyang diin ni Asec. Araullo ang kahalagahan ng palaging pagiging handa sa anumang darating na kalamidad lalo na ngayon na may “Global Climate Change” na nangyayari sa malaking bahagi ng mundo. Tiniyak din ni Asec. Araullo na di titigil ang ahensiya sa pagtulong at pagbibigay ng mga kinakailangang suporta sa mga magsasaka para sa paghahanda sa “climate change” katulad na lamang ng naumpisahan ng pagbibigay ng mga Shallow Tube Wells (STWs) at certified seeds sa ilang probinsya at pamamahagi din ng dryers sa panahon ng tag-ulan.
Nagbigay din ng mensahe ang director ng ATI na si G. Asterio P. Saliot, at ang mga provincial agriculturists ng rehiyon. Nagkaroon din ng pagsasanay at paligsahan ang mga partisipante tungkol sa Poster-making, pagluluto at Quiz Bee. Ang kanilang mga tagapagsanay ay mga tauhan ng ATI IV-A at DA RFU IV-A sa pangunguna ni Ms. Rosalinda Alonsozana. (DA-RAFID IVA)
150 farmers learn Palaycheck system
Some 150 farmers from barangays Sominalum, Poblacion and Barangay Gawil, all from the
According to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRICE) Palay Check is a dynamic rice crop management system that presents the best seven key check technology and management practices, compare results of farmer practices with key checks and facilitates learning through farmers group to sustain improvements in productivity and environmental friendly.
During the graduation ceremonies, Alex Pulmano, Department of Agriculture’s assistant operations chief who represented Regional Executive Director Oscar O. Parawan encouraged the farmers to go back to natural farming which is safe, healthy and environment friendly. “Lets be safe on what we eat now, some people die young because of unhealthy food which contains chemical residues. Let us protect nature by going organic.”
Zamboanga del Sur Board Member Miguelito Ocapan representing 2nd District Congressman Antonio Cerilles for his part focused on peace and order. “Ang kalambuan sa lugar nagkinahanglan usab ug kaabag mao ang kalinaw kay ang mahinungdanong punto sa pagkinabuhi sa kumonidad mao ang pagpuyo nga malinawon” (Development of a locality also needs aid which is peace because the most important point in living life is to live peacefully).
Kumalarang Mayor Allan P. Damas expressed his greatest thanks to the Department of Agriculture for the projects his town received such as the multi million Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector (Infres) where they are recipient of farm-to-market- roads (FMR) and also that from the Support to Livelihood Assistance Program (SELAP) and the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) where 10 people’s organizations (Pos) under the Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) received P250, 000.00 each as livelihood assistance. Ten more Pos will benefit the same for the CFAD round 2. “DA connects and gives us better roads for comfortable transport of our products to the market,” Mayor Damas said.
Mr. Balentin Pabinwit for his words of thanks in behalf of the graduates said “kita nga mga-uuma nagsige kadako ang atong mga utang dili ang ginansya o kita tungod sa sayop nga sistema diay nga atong naandan. Apan pinaagi niining pagtuon daghan kog nakat-unan, ug tungod niining mga kaalam nga atong nakuha nakasiguro ko nga dili na utang ang modako kanato kondili ang atong ginansya ug abot sa humay (our debts are increasing and not the gains due to wrong practices. But because of this training I learned a lot and with the knowledge we gained I am sure that our debts will no longer surge instead we profit and increase rice production).
The program was also graced by Vice Mayor Eugenio Salva, Jr. Ms. Nedy Jumawan-Planning Officer of Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Provincial Agricultural Officer Marilyn IS. Bersales and Corazon Gomonit- Municipal Agricultural Officer. (Mark Laride/DA9)
