DA-NorMin eyes for Camiguin residents to start growing their own food in their respective backyards amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, the agency turns over assorted vegetable seeds to the provincial government of Camiguin headed by Governor Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo.

Mambajao, Camiguin – The agriculture department in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) continues its distribution of vegetable seeds to push Camiguin residents to grow their own food amid the island-province being under community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Valued at about Php65,000.00, the agency has turned over 500 packets of assorted vegetable seeds, which was received by Camiguin Governor Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo and the agriculture office of the provincial government.

“Growing one’s own food is the most productive pastime that one can do, especially now that most of us are in our homes,” said DA-NorMin OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said.

Said undertaking is aligned with DA’s pending request for its Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra sa COVID-19 (ALPAS COVID-19) initiative, otherwise known as the Plant, Plant, Plant program, which eyes to get an additional Php31-billion to speed up the provision of assistance that would ensure food productivity and availability, food accessibility and mobility, and food prices stability.

To date, it awaits for the approval of the president after it has been approved and endorsed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Of the total approved amount, Php1 billion will also be dispensed for a revitalized gulayan project and Php500 million for its urban agriculture project nationwide. #

In a video conference meeting with the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Central Office, the agency heads of the different regional field offices nationwide were instructed to ensure food supply and the implementation of price freeze on agri-fishery products in their respective localities amid the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Presided by DA officials Engr. Ariel T. Cayanan and Assistant Secretary Andrew Villacorta, the DA execs were directed to initiate the reactivation of the Local Price Coordinating Council at the regional, provincial and city/municipal levels.

Accordingly, a thorough data analysis and agreement among concerned agencies were requested to be undertaken in the setting of price freeze on agri-fishery commodities and shall be approved by said council.

Relatedly, weekly submission of food production, including supply and demand data for rice, corn, vegetables, spices, eggs, poultry, pork, beef, tilapia, bangus, and galunggong, is also required.

In particular, the regional directors were asked to further strengthen their coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries of Aquatic Resources in their respective regions to also ensure monitoring and enforcement of the price freeze on fishery products. #

The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) strengthens its coordination with stakeholders regarding price monitoring in a meeting at the DA-10 Conference Room.

Under Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2020-01 of DA, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Health (DOH) have issued the “Price Freeze Act under a State of Calamity throughout the Philippines due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)”.

Pursuant to the JMC, prices of basic necessities under the jurisdiction of the DTI, DA, and DOH are frozen at their prevailing prices as of March 8, 2020 until May 15, 2020, unless sooner lifted by the President.

Accordingly, DA-RFO 10 Regional Technical Director Carlota S. Madriaga and its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) called for a meeting with DTI-10, City Price Coordinating Council (CPCC) and City Economic Enterprise Department (CEED) of Cagayan de Oro City and the Misamis Oriental Retailers Association (MISORRA).

The group agreed on crafting a resolution for setting an enhanced price freeze on agricultural products, especially on premium quality bananas sold in the supermarkets.

This resulted after concerns on the apprehension of some banana (lakatan) sellers for allegedly selling overpriced bananas.

Madriaga detailed that the Php40.00 ceiling price is for the 8-10 pieces per kilogram specification only, wherein the basis for the set price was from the monitoring of the Cogon and Carmen markets three months prior to the COVID-19 crisis.

She noted this might have caused confusion regarding the price among enforcers and consumers.

Madriaga shared that the agency has already negotiated with the wholesalers outside Cogon and Carmen market areas to lower their product prices; thereby enabling retailers to follow the price ceiling.

On the other hand, she stressed that DA will closely coordinate with the DA- Bureau of Plant Industry, Plant Quarantine Service (DA-BPI PQS), CPCC and the Criminal Investigation Detection Group-10 (CIDG-10) on the inspection of rice warehouses to prevent rice hoarding.

Meanwhile, the reactivation of the Local Price Coordinating Council (LPCC) is in line with Joint Memorandum Circular No. 77 of DA, DTI and DOH which enables the Local Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) of local government offices to help implement price freeze, issue warnings and arrest offenders.

Said initiative is sought to protect consumers against undue price spikes as the nation is under a state of emergency due to the spread of COVID-19. #

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)

Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) executive Carlene C. Collado visits the proposed site for the establishment of 10 units smart greenhouses and two staff houses in one of the agency’s research station, the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex at Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

Said undertaking will be used by the Korean engineers and consultants, who will be working with the department for the production of quality tomatoes and pepper using Korean technology and expertise.

The Smart Greenhouse Philippine Project is a joint project of DA-KOICA-EPIS which aims to produce high quality tomatoes and pepper at the same time enhance farmers’ productivity. #

With the availability of food supply as important as battling the COVID-19 crisis, DA executive in Region 10 Carlene C. Collado checks the situation on the ground to ensure that cargo trucks containing food supplies and production items are gaining easier access in the quarantine checkpoints of Damulog, Malaybalay City, Don Carlos and Lantapan, Bukidnon through the issued foodlane passes.

This is one among the region’s response on the directives of DA Sec. William D. Dar in addressing priority key areas amid the pandemic such as mobilizing food and production supplies from production to market areas; reviewing the food availability and affordability per province and addressing those with deficits; and strengthening the coordination between the agency and local governments in the implementation of the foodlane.#

Ryan Daño, president of the Miarayon Highland Farmers Association of Talakag, Bukidnon, known for producing high value crops, receives his foodlane pass from DA-10 exec Carlene C. Collado, in the presence of Dr. Luz I. Guzman.

Issued to him at the Regional Crop Protection Center of the agency at Bangcud, Malaybalay City, the foodlane pass will allow his group to fast track the delivery of their fresh produce from their production areas to their target drop-off centers/markets amid quarantine checkpoints set forth by different local governments.#

Operations in the Regional Crop Protection Center, one of DA-10’s research stations located in Bangcud, Malaybalay City continues as its provides biological control agents such as Metarhizium and Lacewing for farmers’ use in the prevention of plant pests.

In the presence of DA-10 OIC-RED Collado, these were handed over to the agricultural extension workers of Talakag, Bukidnon. #

Lumbia, CdeO, April 4 – Fresh vegetables and fruits and other food products are sold in DA’s ‘Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita’ here in Grand Europa, this city.

The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) thru OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado has been coordinating with farmer-associations to bring their produce to the market.

In which, the Miarayon Highland Farmers Association of Talakag, Bukidnon supplied the fresh vegetables for this Kadiwa project.

DA-10’s move is in response to Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar’s directive to keep food sufficient in light with the COVID-19 crisis.

The agri chief also ensures that farmers can market their produce while at the same time, providing the consumers with affordable, safe and nutritious food.

Meanwhile, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga assured the public that Northern Mindanao has enough food supply.

She is also encouraging the local government units to buy farmers’ produce for inclusion in their food pack distribution for their constituents.

Jocelyn Kwong, a resident of the area said, “We’re glad DA has come up with this program to lessen our worries going outside to buy food. The vegetables are fresh and very affordable.”

The ‘Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita’ is a program of the agency thru the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) in coordination with the City Agriculture Office of CdeO and barangay Lumbia.# (ATCabig)