F2C2 Regional Cluster underscores the farming and fishing approach in advancing agri development and enhancing local food production.
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Intensifying its efforts to bolster farmers’ cooperatives, and associations (FCAs) in the region, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) staged the first Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) Regional Cluster on November 20 to 21, 2023, in this city.
In his message, DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado underscored the significance of the regional confab in advancing agricultural development and enhancing local food production.
“The first F2C2 program regional cluster summit in Northern Mindanao is historic and a remarkable achievement, as we unify the management of activities of farmers and fisherfolk that would result in enhanced quality of produce,” the agri exec chief said.
Moreover, RED Collado reiterated the thrust of DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. to modernize agriculture to increase food production and empower farmers and fisherfolk, and enjoined the clusters to align their efforts and activities with the same.
About 60 FCAs from the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, and Lanao del Norte participated in the event, which featured plenary sessions on programs for cluster development offered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), as well as agri-credit and insurance programs offered by the Development Bank of the Philippines.
In addition, the participants also took part in breakout workshop sessions on cooperative building and improving value chains, market linkage and expansion through digitalization, and credit and finance, with resource speakers from the CDA, DTI, DA-Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center 10 (ATI-RTC 10), Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), and the DA-10 Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division.
In support of the two-day summit, also present were Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga, Executive Assistant III Joel S. Rudinas, Bukidnon with Provincial Operations Center chiefs, Field Operations Division chief Eduardo N. Pit, PhD., F2C2 focal person Gay Nanette R. Aleria, and F2C2 staff of DA-10.
Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 27, Series of 2020, the F2C2 seeks to advance the interest and condition of Filipino small farmers and fishers by encouraging them to adopt a clustering strategy and consolidation of their production, processing, and marketing activities to benefit from economies of scale in commodity production and ensure greater availability and wider utilization of agri-aqua technologies, farm mechanization, logistic and transport support, and postharvest facilities.
Ultimately, the F2C2 program aims to raise the overall productivity of the agri sector and the incomes of farmers and fishers in the country.#