TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The agriculture department wants concerned stakeholders to view agriculture with its marketing aspect to help in boosting production and having the necessary market niche for whatever readily available products.
In her message during the opening of the city’s agro-industrial fair which was part of the celebration of the 74th Tabuk founding anniversary, 23rd Matagoan festival and 17th cityhood anniversary, DA-CAR regional executive director lawyer Jennelyn M. Dawayan stated that for example in the context of Kadiwa which is still enormously relevant.
However, she recognized that the Kadiwa represents a small part of the marketing initiatives of the government but is gaining headway in advancing the marketing of locally produced products by the farmers from various parts of the country.
“While there is much improvement in production capabilities of our farmers for sustenance farming, there is much to be done. More action is required to ensure that production reaches the market. Through marketing, the farmer will experience the value of his profession and his contribution to society, as he feeds the nation,” Dawayan stressed.
The DA-Car pointed out that there is also a need to make the marketing arrangements sustainable and the same can only be done through building and strengthening connectivity with the markets.
According to her, the networks becoming a way of life is an aspiration, thus, the agency is supporting the clustering approach to production that will be geared towards a market-driven approach to the ongoing agricultural development.
She stipulated that the DA has a very robust relationship with the Department of trade and Industry (DTI) and other line agencies, the Tabuk city government and the Kalinga provincial government as a whole because when people know each other, half of the work will be done for whatever endeavor.
Dawayan stipulated that Tabuk City’s rice produce will always be the feeder for the Cordillera accounting for 55 percent of the total rice production in the region and fourth overall producer of yellow corn in the region.
The DA-Car official assured the agency’s continuing support to the agriculture sector and even agri-premiers who continue to strive to improve the marketability of their respective products considering the need for concerned industry stakeholders to innovate and improve not only their produce but also their marketing strategies to gain access to the markets.
Tabuk was established as a municipality of the then sub-province of Kalinga-Apayao by virtue of Republic Act (RA) 533 signed on June 16, 1950 and was converted into a component city of Kalinga by virtue of RA 9404 which was ratified by the Tabuken͂os on June 24, 2007.
Kalinga holds the identity as the rice granary of the Cordillera because of the huge volume of rice production from the rice-producing areas where Tabuk City accounts for more than 55 percent of the province’s annual rice production.
Dawayan was one of the city’s guests during the triple celebration that was spearheaded by the city government under the leadership of Mayor Darwin C. Estran͂ero. By Dexter A. See
