The sealed partnership among youth, parishioners, and a group of media practitioners capped the one-month term of Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) Chairperson Christopher H. Lindo as a Farmer-Director in the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Caraga in May 2022.

On May 31, RAFC-Caraga inked an agreement to institutionalize their partnership among allies in the region’s agri-fishery industry.

As part of his advocacy, Farmer-Director Lindo identified three priority policy agenda: Kabataang Magsasaka at Mangingisda sa Caraga Program, Agrikultura ug Pangisda sa Parokya Program, and Media Practitioners Engagement in Agri-Fishery Development. 

The Banwaon Tribe Youth Group of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur represented by Louella T. Calvo, was present during the signing of the agreement. The group will be involved in digital agriculture, technology innovations, mechanization, and online marketing as a way of increasing their engagement in farming and appreciation of agricultural modernization

 “We need to bridge the gap by engaging the younger members of the family or community to be interested in agriculture. Farming is not just a job for one person in the family, everyone needs to help, especially the youth,” said Farmer-Director Lindo.

The Caraga Media Practitioners for Livelihood Cooperative led by Chairperson Manuel M. Egay, Jr. committed to collaborating in the areas of information dissemination as a channel to share the Department’s program and services along with its advocacies.

Furthermore, the Christ the King Parish Pastoral Council led by Noel T. Isidro forged a partnership with Km.7 Farmers Producers Cooperative represented by Chairperson Samuel C. Calawigan, Jr. The partnership aims to encourage the community to engage in farming as a business. This will enable them to generate income that bolsters food security at the household level.

Farmer-Director Lindo’s initiatives throughout his term are guided by the four primary pillars of the OneDA reform agenda key strategies: Consolidation, Modernization, Industrialization, and Professionalization.

The alliance is expected to pave the way for progress in addressing food security and deepen the private-public partnership’s commitment to agriculture and fisheries development.

Present during the signing of the agreement were DA-Caraga Regional Executive Director Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr., RAFC Regional Coordinator Jodel A. Tabada, PCAF Partnership Development Division-Social Mobilization Section Chief Catherine Viray, and RAFC Sectoral Chairpersons. (Rhea C. Abao, Information Officer II DA-Caraga RAFIS)