BAGUIO CITY – Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan warmly welcomed about 230 participants for this year’s Luzon Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AFC) Stakeholders Conference in the City of Pines during the opening program on June 19, 2024.
Dawayan introduced the Cordillera region’s agricultural landscapes and the DA-CAR agri-services which were encapsulated in four themes: Feel Cordillera, Relish Cordillera, Experience Cordillera, and Support Cordillera. She also encouraged the participants to take a moment to appreciate agriculture’s beauty and importance whenever they visit the region.
The Cordillera Regional AFC hosts this year’s conference for the Luzon Cluster. The national and local AFCs, together with the Regional AFC executive officers and coordinators from the DA-RFOs, actively participate in it.
Themed “Bridging Gaps: Connecting Producers to Markets for Sustainable Agricultural Development,” the event aimed to discuss the major issues and concerns experienced by the AFCs and come up with collaborative recommendations; share their best practices in the conduct of their activities, including, but not limited to, consultations and project monitoring, and be informed of the latest DA programs, policies, and priorities. More importantly, commitment setting and policy resolutions in support of the identified recommendations are the major outputs of the conference, PCAF OIC-Executive Director Julieta Opulencia said.
Meanwhile, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., in his keynote message delivered by Atty. Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, DLLO and Consumer Affairs, recognized the significant contribution of the private sector in making the agri sector resilient, modernized, and sustainable. The AFCs were urged to continue collaborating with the government and investing in agriculture to ensure its sustainability as a livelihood for the next generation of farmers and fishers.
The local chief executives, particularly Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, through their representatives, also expressed their support to the activities and initiatives of AFCs that are essential for the continued improvement of the agri-fishery sector. To holistically capture the commitments of the DA Regional Executive Directors, partner local governments and regional AFC chairpersons to achieving the AFC’s goals, a ceremonial signing of the Pledge of Commitment was also held.
The presentation of two major programs namely the National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development (NCISRD) and the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Services’ (AMAS) major programs and projects like the Kadiwa and Young Farmers Challenge, were thoroughly discussed in the afternoon. These were presented by Dr. Karen Kristine Roscom, NCISRD National Secretariat Head, and Trinidad Carlos of DA-AMAS, respectively.
An open forum followed after each presentation where various issues and concerns including notable recommendations were consolidated. The recommendations raised, such as coming up with relevant and supporting resolutions, will be tackled more deeply during the workshop session per region. The event, currently held in Newtown Plaza Hotel, Baguio City is conducted until tomorrow, June 20. The last day will accommodate the workshop session, presentation of outputs, approval of conference resolutions and finally, the agri-benchmarking in Tublay, Benguet. By JBAgrifino