POSSIBLY one of the best solutions to alleviate food insecurity as such paved the way for an emerging futuristic and thriving agriculture can be perceived in the current craze of Urban Gardening and Urban Agriculture.

 At the recent webinar spearheaded by the people of Rotary International in which they invited resource persons from the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture, the invited guests openly supports the technology and methodology of having to create farms in the cities and as they had reiterated, it has a large potential in stabilizing food security and the economy.

They had mentioned the importance of planting vegetables in each backyards as a stress reliever in the busy urban living and most of all it is one of the flagship programs of the current agriculture chief Secretary William Dar.

The technologies of “Hydroponics” among others and the booming vertical farms which is on the radar of city dwellers mostly living in buildings with limited spaces often referred to as “high rises” are deemed conducive to such a technology.

Present in the Rotary Agripreneurship Program webinar (Aug. 11, Aug. 13 and Aug. 18 2021) were Ms. Majella Tumangan-Villaroman-Urban Farming Chair, DS Edwin Chiu, Ms. Myrna Dacanay, RI District 3810 Gov. Robert Koa, LCP Dr. Heal Dineros RC Manila Cosmopolitan, LCP Darwin Andrey RCDM,  Mr. Mike Caballes, RC MNL 101 Lady Chris Leonardo,  Ms. Beverly Salviejo, Mr. Gerald Glenn Panganiban- DA Director of Urban Farming,  PP Mark Tan, CP Teresita Tumangan, DOH ASec. Dr. Enrique Tayag and Mr. Glenn Villaroman.///Mj Olvina- Balaguer, +639053611058, konekted@dzmjonline.net and maryjaneolvina@gmail.com  DZMJ Online “Makabuluhang Jornalismo, Your Happiness Channel”

DA-PCC hosts ‘DA-Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita’ in N.E.

Novo Ecijanos can now easily access and buy fresh, affordable, and quality agri-fishery products through the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita farmers exhibit currently set up at the DA-Philippine Carabao Center grounds.

The Kadiwa (Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa) ni Ani at Kita program at DA-PCC was put up at the Milka Krem compound in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija on September 3 in support of the DA’s twin objectives of “masaganang ani (bountiful harvest)” and “mataas na kita (higher income)” for farmers and fisherfolk.

Said program, launched in September 2019 and rolled out across the country, serves as a direct marketing link between farmers and fisherfolk and consumers. This initiative makes farm produce accessible and affordable to consumers.

Leading the opening of the Kadiwa stores at DA-PCC were Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Noel Reyes, Assistant Secretary-designate for Regulations Dr. Liza Battad, DA-PCC’s OIC Executive Director Dr. Ronnie Domingo, Deputy Executive Director for Administration and Finance Dr. Caro Salces, and Deputy Executive Director for Production and Research Dr. Claro Mingala.

A total of 10 booths were set up, eight of which were manned by DA-PCC’s assisted cooperatives in Nueva Ecija including Eastern Primary Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC), Simula ng Panibagong Bukas MPC, Brotherskeeper MPC, all in San Jose City; Catalanacan MPC, Licaong Agriculture Cooperative, Aling Maria Homemade sweets in Science City of Muñoz; Caudillo Prutas at Gulay Producers Cooperative in Cabanatuan City; and Bongabon Dairy Cooperative in Bongabon. 

Sec. Dar visited each booth and took cognizance of the farmers’ plight amid the pandemic. He encouraged them to carry on and assured them of the government’s initiatives, one of which is the Kadiwa, to help them sell their commodities directly to buyers.

“This Kadiwa is a good opportunity for farmers and co-op members to

bring their agri-fishery products to communities. Some of our products like corn, sweet potato, and eggplant are outcomes of the Gatas, Gulay, Karne (GGK) project of DA-PCC. Consumers may opt to buy such products here instead of going and queuing to the market,” Samuel Mercader, EPMPC member and one of the sellers, said.

Kadiwa stalls are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Friday. Among the products on sale include carabao’s milk-based and Kardeli carabao meat products, native delicacies, squash, string beans, sweet corn, calamansi, cucumber, tomatoes, papaya, sweet potato, native chicken, oyster mushroom, eggplant, okra, and other assorted lowland vegetables and fruits. # # # (Text by Ma. Cecilia C. Irang & photo by Chrissalyn Marcelo / DA-PCC)

3.7K PFDA-GSFPC port workers receive 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine

In a bid to boost herd immunity in the city, fish port workers, laborers, and plant and cannery workers of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority – General Santos Fish Port Complex (PFDA-GSFPC) have received the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccination through the joint effort between the port management and the local government unit (LGU) of General Santos City, held at the Fish Port Complex Bakuna Center in Market Hall 1.

As of September 1, a total of 3,776 workers from PFDA-GSFPC who have availed the first dose of vaccine in the previous vaccine rollout received complete vaccination through the assistance of the City Health Office and the Barangay Tambler – Rural Health Unit. The vaccination drive aims to provide full vaccination to 6,000 port workers.

This activity to vaccinate one of the largest food sources in Mindanao was also under close collaboration with the Socsksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), Sargen Fish Port Tuna Handline Association, Inc. (SFPTHAI), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).  # # # (Mark Angelo N. Perez with reports and photos from Paris U.Y. Ayon / DA-PFDA)