Unity and resiliency in agri-fishery sector.

This was the voice in unison of a hundred Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) members and stakeholders from Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, Caraga, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) who gathered during the 17th Mindanao AFC Congress and Areawide Participatory Performance Review and Planning Workshop held on October 25-27, 2022 in Butuan City.

The three-day activity was hosted by the Caraga Region with the theme “Expanding the Reach of AFCs: Unity in Diversity and Resilience in the Contemporary Times”, provides a venue for all AFCs to collaborate and discuss and address pressing issues in the agri-fishery sector with the goal of being united and resilient despite the challenges brought by the pandemic.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies discussed their programs and activities that would support and up scale farmers and fisherfolk towards the agency’s vision.

Among these efforts are mainstreaming tools, innovation, and approaches of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in the regular system; new DA directives, thrust, and food security plans and programs of the current administration; and DA National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP).

The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) guided the AFC members in identifying problems and concerns in each respective area,coming up with the best possible actions and recommendations, and crafting appropriate policies for resolutions.

DA-Caraga recognized the importance of inputs from AFC members in crafting plans and programs to boost the agri-fishery industry.

A total of 135 resolutions were presented and approved on the said congress which focuses on fueling up the approaches of DA in realizing its programs, services, and projects, particularly on the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program to increase food production and improve food accessibility, increase rural incomes and enhance farm and fishery productivity in targeted areas.

Among the notable recommendations were the resolution recommending local government units to utilize vacant lots in urban areas for urban gardening, a resolution requesting the congress to expedite the passage of a bill regarding floor prices of agricultural products such as rice, corn, copra, rubber, vegetable, a resolution recommending to the Department of Education to include urban gardening and fishery in their curriculum; and among others.

An idea also emerged that DA should adopt a new planting schedule and create a separate operating unit that will analyze the yield and recommend if it is advisable to pursue a traditional planting calendar to avoid wastage of produce.

Also, to have market surveillance through an agricultural attaché, purposely, to expand the market by promoting products to other countries.

With the crafted resolutions, PCAF will course it through the concerned government agencies so they can respond to the resolutions.

The AFC is a mechanism arm of the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) for private sector participation in the development processes at the regional, provincial, municipal and city levels.

It has been serving as a partner of the government in deliberating issues and concerns and crafting policy and program recommendations for the government to adopt and eventually implement. (Lovely Joy L. Saludez/DA-Caraga)