DA-10 supports DAR’s FBS program as it recently provides them with packets of assorted veggie seeds.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, May 26 – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) turned over 100 packets of assorted vegetable seeds to the Department of Agrarian Reform 10- Provincial Agrarian Reform Office (DAR-PARO) for their Farm Business School (FBS) program.

The packets of veggie seeds, comprising of pole sitao, squash, ampalaya, eggplant and okra were handed over by DA-RFO 10 Regional Executive Director (RED) Carlene C. Collado to DAR Misamis Oriental Point Person Marivic A. Gallamaso.

The FBS, which started in 2017 is DAR’s initiative to boost the entrepreneurial skills of farmer-beneficiaries by enhancing their capabilities in managing their produce to optimize profitability.

Gallamoso said, the vegetable seeds will be grown in their one-hectare demonstration farm, and the rest will be distributed to its 35 farmer-students of the FBS in Brgy. Aya-Aya, Lugait, Misamis Oriental.

“DA’s provision of assorted vegetable seeds is beneficial to DAR’s FBS program. The agrarian reform beneficiaries, who are mostly small farmers will not only learn agricultural entrepreneurship, but will also receive quality assorted vegetable seeds as they complete the training course,” she expressed.

DA-RFO 10 High Value Crops Development Program Coordinator Kersten S. Pagalan noted, each packet weighing 29 grams can cover a 1000-square meter of farmland. # (EMBentulan)

The aggie dept stages the NFSS to solicit doable strategies and policy recommendations to help the agri-fishery sector overcome its challenges as well as update commodity industry roadmaps and craft the country’s food security blueprint.

Serving as the culmination of the regional summits held in April and May, the Department of Agriculture (DA) staged the two-day 2021 National Food Security Summit (NFSS), held at the BSWM Convention Hall, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City and via virtual platform.

Centered on this year’s theme: “Food for Today and Beyond: Transforming Philippine agriculture”, said convention aimed to solicit doable strategies and policy recommendations to help address the major challenges besetting the agri-fishery sector, update commodity industry roadmaps and craft the country’s food security blueprint.

“A pandemic with devastating impact on global health continues to ravage economies and societies, threatening to put more people into extreme poverty, and many more into chronic hunger and malnutrition.

Further, unsustainable agri-food systems put pressure on our dwindling land and water resources, biodiversity, the environment, and climate,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar relayed to the Summit delegates.

Likewise, he noted, these will impact the nation’s ability to feed its growing population and in bringing about meaningful progress in the countryside now and in the future.

“Therefore, it is imperative to sustain and strengthen our food production, distribution and logistics systems to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic and natural and man-made disasters do not threaten food security and nutrition, and improve resilience to future shocks,” the DA chief underscored.

Drawing about 15,000, including from the Northern Mindanao region, the NFSS gathered a myriad of participants, from the national and local government agencies, international organizations, the private sector, farmer’s cooperatives and associations, agricultural and fishery councils, non-governmental and civil society organizations, youth and the academe.

Of which, they have witnessed talks from different homegrown food security experts and from abroad, including benchmarking from shared stories of key officials, successful farmers, fishers, agripreneurs and the youth.

Parallel sector workshops were also held to seek inputs for the country’s major agri-fishery commodities such as rice, livestock, poultry, vegetables, aquaculture, capture fisheries, banana, pineapple, mango, coconut, sugarcane, coffee and cacao.

Accordingly, with the NFSS outputs, Sec. Dar said, these will accompany the agency’s One DA reform agenda, which is anchored on the four major pillars – consolidation, modernization, industrialization and professionalism – along its various key strategies underneath.

The agriculture secretary likewise emphasized, that the department will continue to implement the Plant, Plant, Plant program under the current administration, which scales up the sustainable production of basic food commodities.

“We continue to build the foundation to make farming and fishing more productive, profitable, sustainable, and globally competitive,” the DA official added.

Also attributing its positive growth during the second and third quarters of last year, the DA chief deemed that the agri-fishery sector is a key in reviving the Philippine economy, especially so with the strengthened discussions on Public-Private-People Partnership and Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System during the two-day summit.

“Nawa’y patuloy natin isa-buhay ang tradisyon ng Bayanihan, sa diwa ng pagtutulungan para sa pangkalahatang layunin natin na maisulong ang sektor ng sakahan at pangisdaan,” the agriculture secretary highlighted.

This year, DA aims to attain a modest record of 2.5% growth for the agriculture sector. #

On May 17, DA-NorMin meets with farmer-leaders to activate the SUCBEM cluster of the RTF-ELCAC in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) convened with the farmer-leaders to activate the Sectoral Unification, Capacity-Building Empowerment and Mobilization (SUCBEM) cluster of the Regional Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) on May 17.

DA-RFO 10 Regional Executive Director (RED) Carlene C. Collado discussed with the farmer-leaders, who are the municipal agri-fishery council (MAFC) chairs of of the region to identify and discuss issues and concerns in their respective areas.

SUCBEM is one of the 12 clusters of RTF-ELCAC which was created under Executive Order (EO) No. 70. It recognizes insurgency and local communist armed conflict as not only a military and security concern but also the National and local government agencies working as one.

Nick P. Campomanes, Mindanao head of the National Anti-Poverty Commission said, SUCBEM’s first step is to detail policy gaps at the local level to process an output that can be streamlined to form part of the peace and development agenda of the sector.

The output of SUCBEM consultation was presented to the Department of Interior and Local Government, thru the Regional Conference for Peace and Development (RCPD) consultation with other line agencies and sectors to come up with SUCBEM cluster State of the Nation Address (SONA) Campaign Plan, which will be part of the President’s legislative agenda.

RED Collado remarked that peace and development is hard to achieve without promoting agricultural development and the help of extension workers and farmer-leaders, especially in the far-flung areas.

“With the support of the attached agencies thru ‘One DA approach’ and the assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, various agri-interventions were brought in to remote communities, changing the lives of indigenous peoples and the former rebels in said areas,” he said.

Attending the RCPD to represent the region’s agri-fishery sector were the MAFC chairs Marcelino M. Patindol (Claveria), Rosauro M. Suazo (Balingasag), Richard Olmilla (Damulog), and Raul S. Ybañez (Maramag).

MAFC chair Marcelino M. Patindol of Claveria, Misamis Oriental shared, “The government has provided the farmers with various agri-fishery interventions and livelihood. It is our obligation to look out and preserve the projects for them to sustain longer, while we live harmoniously in our community.”

The MAFC chairs were joined by DA-RFO 10 Provincial Operations Center Chief for Bukidnon Dr. Janet D. Lopez and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division Project Evaluation Officer III Lana May S. Racines as they inked the Northern Mindanao Peace and Development Manifesto to attest their commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte.

SUCBEM-RCPD was attended by the youth, women and other sectors of the region, which was held at Central Mindanao University, Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon on May 18.# (EMBentulan)

DA-10 RED Collado administers the oathtaking of the fourth batch of 2021 newly promoted and appointed agency personnel.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Six newly promoted and two newly appointed employees of the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10) have been sworn into their newly promoted positions and appointments.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado administered the oathtaking ceremony, in the presence of concerned division chiefs of said personnel.

RED Collado reminded the newly promoted employees, marking the fourth batch this year, to continue of help in delivery of efficient and effective programs, projects and interventions for the farmers and fisherfolk regionwide.

“Every one of you is an essential part of the (DA) system, and we expect for you to do your best in delivering agri-services to our clienteles,” the director conveyed.

The newly promoted and appointed DA-10 personnel with their corresponding positions and assignments are the following:

Newly Appointed Regional Soils Laboratory, Integrated Laboratory Division

1. Iree Grace D. Bince – Laboratory Aide II (SG 4)
2. Frances Deza C. Gamboa – Laboratory Technician II (SG 8)

Promoted Field Operations Division (FOD)

1. Luisito S. Ofngol – Development Management Officer V (SG 24)
2. Rosel Joy V. Fabrigas – Agriculturist II (SG 15)

Administrative and Finance Division

1. Marilou C. Hebia – Administrative Officer IV (SG 15)
2. Joana Sara D. Amores – Administrative Officer III (SG 14)
3. Kathleen M. Pacana – Administrative Officer I (SG 10)

Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division

1. Jeffrey Baja – Planning Officer III (SG 18)

Also witnessing the rite are DA-10 Regional Technical Director and Placement and Selection Board Chair Carlota S. Madriaga and other PSB members and DA-10 staff. # (JCAnito)

CdeO farmers are seen to boost the city’s production in terms of quantity and quality corn with the recent provision of corn seeds by DA-NorMin.

The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 thru the Corn Program has delivered 50 bags (at 9 kilos per bag) of hybrid corn seeds (J505) to the Office of Congressman Rufus B. Rodriguez, 2nd district of Cagayan de Oro, at the barangay hall of Nazareth, on May 17, 2021.

Sourced from CY 2020 funds under the Production Support Services of said Program, the P200,000.00 worth of agri farm inputs is targeted to be distributed to a total of 50 farmers within the city.

Further, the provision of seeds is seen to ensure the city’s production in terms of quantity and quality corn by aiding farmers to increase their productivity and income, as well. # (JLO)

DA-10 thru its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division facilitates the conduct of the KDK to assist R-10 farmers and fisherfolk and other merchants to directly link them to consumers to sell their agri-fishery products, its by-products and essentials.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In observance of the Farmer’s and Fisherfolk’s Month, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office (DA-RFO 10) opens its Kadiwa at Diskwento Karavan (KDK) at the DA-10 Compound, Antonio Luna St., in the city of Cagayan de Oro.

DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Carmelita T. Bajarla along with other agency officials, led the opening of the activity which features fresh, quality and affordable agricultural produce, its by-products and other food products and essentials from local farmers and fisherfolks, DA’s research stations and other merchants.

Below are the list of exhibitors and their corresponding products:

RJ Agri Products – vegetables

CNQ Agri Ventures – turmeric powder, powdered malunggay, fruits

Manzano Farm – fruits

Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperatives – fresh and flavored milk

NAS Agricom – ground coffee, coco sugar and syrup, fishery products

Tagpuangi Farmers and Fisherfolk – fishery products NM Foods – banana chips

ANT Products – eggs DA research stations – vegetables

San Miguel Purefoods, Corp., Vitalize Food, Corp. and Fivel and Big 8 – essential goods

With the FFM’s theme for the year: “May Pandemya Man o Wala, Magsasaka at Mangingisda Maaasahan ng Bansa”, the event also paid tribute to the farmers and fisherfolk for their labor and toil to provide food for every Filipino household. # (JLO)

To strengthen the Animal Health Program of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) thru its partner institution, the agency turned over various drugs and biologics to Central Mindanao University (CMU) on May 11, 2021.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado stated, that said intervention will be used to strengthen CMU’s livestock services and animal biosecurity measures.

On receiving the aid, Research Assistant Dr. Chopit Chrinli E. Camacho of the African Swine Fever (ASF) Project of CMU shared, “DA’s assistance on drugs and biologics will greatly help the farmers that we are also assisting. For our part, it will also be easier for us to conduct our field operations.” # (AMBManto)

Starting May 9, the AAFF is open every day from 10 AM to 8PM to serve mallgoers with their agri-fishery product needs.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – With the goal of promoting Northern Mindanao’s agri-fishery products at the same time providing fresh and healthy foods to the locals, the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) facilitates the ‘Alagang Ayala Farmers’ Fair’ (AAFF) at Centrio Mall, Cagayan de Oro City.

Said exhibit features the agricultural produce and its by-products of nine farmers and fisher cooperatives and associations (FCAs) namely: RJ Agriproducts, Manzano Farm, Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperatives, Farmgrown Association of Claveria, N

M Foods, Mylin Products, CNQ Agriventures, Kape Mindanaw, and Homegrown Marketing.

According to DA-10 Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division OIC-Chief Larry E. Paraluman, the trade fair will run for a year starting May 9, of which exhibitors can participate in the trade display free-of-charge for the rental space.

He detailed, that said arrangement is Ayala Malls – CdeO Gateway, Corp.’s commitment, as part of their social responsibility to help small enterprises, on top of their regular exhibitors of herbal and ornamental plants.

Since its kickoff activity, Farmgrown shared that among their saleable products in their stall are turmeric powder, banana chips, sautéed shrimp, salted eggs and bottled fresh milk; while for Manzano’s Farm are the lemon and mangoes.

AAFF is open every day from 10 AM to 8PM.# (EMBentulan)

DA-NorMin rolls out a community pantry extending help to Brgy. 29 and other nearby barangays in CdeO City.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, May 10 – To commence the simultaneous celebration of the National Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month (NFFM) across the country, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) conducts the ‘One DA Community Pantry at the agency compound today.

Around 1,000 residents from Barangay 29 and nearby barangays in the city received fresh agri-fishery products such as rice, vegetables, fruits, root crops, flavored cow’s milk (bottled), fish, among others.

Adopting the ‘One DA’ approach, said activity is spearheaded by DA-RFO 10 and its research stations headed by Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, its attached bureaus and agencies: Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Dairy Authority, Philippine Coconut Authority, Bureau of Plant Industry-Plant Quarantine Service, Philippine Crop Insurance, Corp., Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, National Tobacco Administration and other partners from the private sector, including the Northern Mindanao Hog Raisers Association.

This year’s NFFM theme is “May Pandemya Man o Wala, Magsasaka’t Mangingisda Maasahan ng Bansa.”

Further, said activity is coordinated with the region’s Philippine National Police, Roads and Traffic Administration, and the local government of Brgy. 29. # (EMBentulan)

KCC receives P4.5-M worth of check under DA’s Enhanced Kadiwa program to aid them to step up their production, marketing and other farming-related activities.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, May 6 – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) handed over a check amounting to P4.5 million to the Kahusayan Consumers Cooperative (KCC) of Kitaotao, Bukidnon under the agency’s Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain program.

Said amount is part of DA’s P5-M commitment to KCC for the procurement of 1 unit hauling truck (wing van), building establishment, working capital and other equipment.

The remaining 10 percent (P500,000) will be released as soon as they complete their liquidation of the initial fund release.

Carlene C. Collado, DA-RFO 10 regional executive director, encouraged the cooperative to have their farm produce consolidated to supply and expand their market.

He added, that they can also venture into food processing and value-adding products to gain more income.

Nilo S. Lanzaderas, KCC chair said, the financial grant will surely boost the income and productivity of every member and the cooperative itself, which currently has three outlet stores in the town: Sitio Raware, Bagong Silang and Barangay Kahusayan.

“Kung makapalit na kami sa van, mamenusan na ang among gastos sa pagpangumpra ug paghatud sa among mga produkto. Mahatagan usab og dugang nga kapital ang mga mag-uuma alang sa pagpalit sa abono ug uban pang mga kinahanglanon sa umahan,” Lanzaderas expressed.

[If we can acquire the van, our transportation cost will be lessened in purchasing goods and other essentials for the stores. Farmer-members will also have additional capital to purchase fertilizers, among other needs in farming.]

Also present in the turnover are the department’s Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga, Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division OIC-Chief Larry E. Paraluman, and Kitaotao Municipal Agriculture Officer Romeo D. Limbaga. #(EMBentulan)