Agri-10 exec highlights digitalization toward empowering key agri players, improved delivery of services during Oro’s 1st Elevate Agriculture confab

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Farmers, fishers and schools offering agriculture courses here were urged to embrace digitalization by the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10) to make different farming, fishing and other agricultural-related ventures more profitable and scalable, and to fine-tune the delivery of support services for the agriculture sector.

This was underscored by Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, DA-10 regional executive director, who keynoted the three-day 1st Elevate Agriculture Convention featuring commodities such as coffee, cacao, abaca, banana, and vegetables, held recently, at the City Tourism Hall.

Before farmers, fishers and other key stakeholders from barangays Tinagpoloan, Tumpagon, Tuburan, Besigan, Mambuaya, San Simon and Balubal, the DA official encouraged them to register with the agri department’s information system, enabling to source real-time input on-the-ground such as crops to be planted and planting schedule, among other activities and needs in the attainment of their chosen agricultural endeavors.

The system, he added, is key in the regional management’s planning and decision-making processes, thereby ensuring a more seamless implementation of DA’s programs and projects, while also putting value in the processing and marketing aspects of agricultural commodities in order to command premium prices in the market.

Eyeing to capture more patrons for the harvest and by-products of different agriculture-based proprietors and farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs), the DA-10 through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) also facilitated the display and selling of goods of its assisted clients, at the same time distributed information collaterals and packets of assorted vegetable seeds at the City Hall quadrangle.

With the event initiated by the Agricultural Productivity Operations Office together with the Oro Chamber of Commerce, RED Pacamalan also enjoined the mustered participants with the aid of the said partner offices to maximize such system, citing that it will form as bases in the provision of agricultural interventions and an assessment tool in the delivery and improvement of agricultural services as well.

Aligned with the DA-10 agri exec’s emphasis on digitalization, AMAD likewise presented the importance of registering in the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development Information System (FFEDIS). It is a web-based information system tailored to assist the agency in crafting plans and programs, and in generating resources relative to enterprise development.# (JLO)