ILOILO – The provincial government seeks to maximize the potential of agriculture and help farmers and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
At the kickoff of weeklong 1st Provincial Farmers’ Week yesterday at the provincial capitol, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. emphasized the importance of agriculture.
“We want to maximize the agriculture of the province and in the process create a value chain for agricultural products,” the governor said.
Agriculture can generate businesses, job opportunities, a strong middle class and clientele for the service industry and commercial establishments in the city and province of Iloilo, he explained.
Anchored on the theme, “Mangunguma padayon nga edukaron, hugpungon kag pabaskugon para agrikultura mangin mainuswagon,” the 1st Provincial Farmers’ Week showcases various agriculture products and the achievements of Iloilo farmers.
Defensor said it is also an opportunity to identify, evaluate and address the gaps in the agricultural sector.
“We have a large sugar industry, a coffee industry, and we plant cacao. But we don’t have a candy industry that can compete in the national and international markets,” said Defensor.
Farm tourism should be strengthened also for sustainable agriculture and raise the income of farmers.
The province has been focusing on the concreting of farm-to-market roads and road opening projects to improve the mobility of goods.
“Kadamo damo sang disconnect nga gusto naton i-connet kaupod sa agriculture sector. The direction of the province is agri-based – ang tourism maangot sa agriculture, ang food industry maangot sa agriculture. We want the centerpiece of the tourism industry to be based in agriculture, nga aton small farmers indi na magsarig sa patubas lang kay sa tourism pa lang may kita ka na,” the governor added.
Meanwhile, Defensor said the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) Center will aid in developing the value chain for agricultural products to generate jobs from agriculture.
The highlight of the weeklong celebration is the Farmers’ Congress to be held at the Iloilo Sports Complex on Oct. 7. The governor said it will be a venue for a dialogue with farmers and fisherfolk.
“We will validate the perceived gaps, develop our ideas, and come up with concrete policies so that at the end of the exercise, we will be focused and ready to put them in the budget of the province that we will submit to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan,” he said.
ACTIVITIES
The Farmers’ Week commenced on Oct. 3 with the launching of a week-long Agri-Fishery Trade Expo 2022. In the afternoon was a forum on farm mechanization and solar irrigation projects which aims to upgrade the knowledge and skills of farmers.
A lecture demo on flower arrangement, lecture on landscaping and dish garden and demo contest on dish garden will be conducted today, Oct. 4.
On Oct. 5, there will be a coastal clean-up in the municipality of Oton, lectures and games on fish conservation to selected elementary pupils in Oton, and lectures on aquaculture and postharvest value adding at Casa Real de Iloilo.
On the same day, the Provincial RIC Achievement Day will be held at the Iloilo Sports Complex.
On the fourth day, there will be spaying and neutering for dogs and cats at Casa Real’s front lobby and seminar orientation on livestock production technologies (AI-Swine and Goat Farming) at the National Museum – Western Visayas.
The highlight of the celebration is the Farmers’ Congress at the Iloilo Sports Complex on Oct. 7 wherein the farmers, rural women, youth, and fisherfolk will be recognized for their contributions to agricultural and fishery productivity.
The 1st Provincial Farmers’ Week was celebrated through Provincial Ordinance 2018-190 sponsored by 1st District Provincial Board member Valentin Serag, which declares the first week of October of every year as Farmers’ Week in the province of Iloilo. (With a report from LHC, Capitol News/PN)
