BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) CAR held their culminating activity for farmer and fisherfolks’ month with the theme “Preserving Heritage, Capturing Values” at the Melvin Jones Football Grounds, Baguio City on May 30, 2024.
The program was led by DA-CAR Regional Executive Director (RED), Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan and was attended by DA Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Engr. Christopher Morales, DA Assistant Secretary for Logistics Daniel Atayde, Kalinga Governor James Edduba, and representatives from various national line agencies, local government units, and private sectors.
According to DA-CAR RED Dawayan, the activity aims to highlight the various products of the CAR farmers and fisherfolk with the Spanish dish called “Paella â la Cordillera” and will be served to all the attendees of the event.
This aims to fuse the flavors of the Spanish paella, with Cordilleran ingredients like the chong-ak a kalinga heirloom rice from Pasil, Kalinga, “kiniing” (smoked meat) from Mountain Province, “pinunog” (smoked sausage) from Ifugao, highland vegetables from Benguet, Longganiza from Abra, “pinuneg” (blood sausage) from Mountain Province and Benguet which shows the versatility of the produce from Cordilleran farmers and fisherfolk.
” For the past weeks, chefs from around the Philippines who prepared the dish were also invited to outsource the ingredients for the paella directly from the producers around the Cordillera, this allowed restaurateurs and shopkeepers to establish linkages with the CAR farmers and fisherfolk, allowing for a better way to directly purchase and transact with the producers and suppliers of CAR and is another goal of the activity,” Dawayan said.
In his message of support, which was aired via video during the activity Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr. expressed his gratitude to the DA-CAR for their partnership and support which provided the registered farmer organizations of MP with essential production support, tools, vehicles, and post-harvest facilities which greatly empowered MP farmers and enhanced the productivity of their crops and produce.