DA’s Kadiwa ni Ani store staged at the agency grounds opens marketing opportunities for both farmer-producers and consumers: earning at the same time addressing food requirements while considering one’s safety and health.

 

Cagayan de Oro, April 6 – The agriculture department here in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) opens its parking space to the public for the opening of its Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita store, early this morning at Antonio Luna Street.

Department of Agriculture-10 OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado emphasized that said initiative provides farmers and fisherfolk the venue of directly selling their agricultural produce and other processed food to urban dwellers, as the coronavirus-driven quarantines set by local governments have posed a challenge in terms of bringing their goods from production areas to distribution outlets.

Meanwhile, consuming public can avail healthier, nutritious and more affordable food options, which also demands in adopting measures such as wearing of face masks and observing social distancing from them, which is somehow hard to do in major public markets, to help curb the said disease.

Following last Saturday’s stint in barangay Lumbia, DA-10 once again rolls out its Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita store in the agency grounds to ensure the safety and welfare of both farmers and fisherfolk as well as the consumers.

“To ensure everyone’s safety, DA has put up a footbath in the entrance, and imposed the mandatory use of face masks to all sellers and buyers aside from providing them a hand disinfectant station,” Carlota S. Madriaga, regional technical director for operations of DA-10 detailed.

On the other hand, the Kadiwa On-Wheels is also set to head out this afternoon from the office, to some barangays within the city, including Terry Hills and Apovel, targeting an hour per barangay.

“We closely coordinate the Kadiwa on Wheels with the local government of CdeO to widely disseminate the information thru their barangay captains,” the director added, to ensure guaranteed patrons once the Kadiwa will set out in the streets.

Participating in the stationed and mobile Kadiwa stores include the following: Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperatives offering dairy products; Miarayon Highland Farmers Association – highland vegetables; Reanes Fishery Products – assorted processed agri-fishery products; Farm Grown Association of Claveria – rootcrops, fruits and vegetables; Truechef Choice – dressed chicken; and Nas Agricom Enterprises selling honey and turmeric powder.

“Through this initiative, we look forward for our farmers and fisherfolk-producers and consumers alike, satisfied aside from earning but in addressing the food requirements of the consuming public while considering one’s safety and health,” Madriaga ended.

Kadiwa, which refers to Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa para sa Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita, is a marketing strategy employed by DA thru Secretary William D. Dar that directly links farmer-producers to its market; thereby reducing the cost of their products. # (JLO)