BAGUIO CITY – Personnel of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-RFO CAR) together with the Ifugao Provincial Agriculture Environment and Natural Resources Office (PAENRO) pre-inspected six farms in Ifugao on May 21-23, 2024 in preparation for their Philippine Good Agricultural Practice (PhilGAP) certification.
The pre-inspected farms were located in Asipulo 1, Hungduan 4, and Lagawe 1. These farms were the following: Tayaban Farm in barangay Cawayan, Asipulo owned by Daniel Tayaban; Ran Mang-uhan Farm owned by Abdul Mang-uhan, Dacawe Integrated Farm represented by Nelson Dacawe, JD’s Family Farm and Fun owned by Daniel Dulnuan and JAY’s Farm operated by Mr. Reinhardth Jay Yogyog for Hungduan; and the BUNOY’S Integrated Farm and Learning Site for Agriculture in Olilicon, Lagawe owned by Noel B. Bunoy.
Key personnel from the concerned Municipal; Agriculture Offices (MAO) joined the team during the pre-inspection activities in their jurisdictions.
“We need to be reminded of the importance of applying for the GAP certification, and the practice of course, for your safety as farmers and including the consumers,” Doweno Santiago, the GAP focal of DA-CAR said. “As of now the province of Ifugao has 19 registered farms and we are grateful for your commitment to register,” he added.
During the inspections, Santiago has emphasized the importance of the farmer’s record which serves as a key basis for the verification of farm practices in compliance with the PhilGAP standards.
During the inspection in the municipality of Hungduan, other farmers were also present to witness and show their support for the practice of GAP in their area. “We advocate GAP here and for us to spread awareness on the safety of our farmers and consumers as well, so expect that there will be a next batch of farmers requesting for farm pre-inspection this year,” Dacawe said.
Existing commodities in the pre-inspected farms include rice, heirloom corn, ginger, rambutan, lanzones, sweet potato, tomato, bell pepper, and chayote.
After the pre-inspection, Santiago detailed the key points that the farmers must accomplish including slight changes in line with the PhilGAP standards to ensure their successful application for PhilGAP certification. By Tan Dulag