DA 6 to hold first Rice and Corn Information Caravan
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Unit 6 in its commitment to provide the Filipino people a stable and sufficient supply of affordable farm and food products will hold the first rice and corn information caravan with the theme "Paghili-usa Pakadto sa Mauswagon nga Pagpanguma" on February 16, 2006 at DA-WESVIARC, Hamungaya, Jaro, Iloilo City.
DA Secretary Arthur C. Yap together with Atty. Clayton Olalia, Assistant Secretary will be the guests of honor in the information caravan.
According to Mr. Larry P. Nacionales, OIC -- Regional Executive Director of DA 6 , the one day affair aims to promote and create awareness on the various banner programs of the DA particularly on rice and corn among the industry stakeholders.
He stressed that this caravan will be anchored on the six point agenda of Secretary Yap namely market access, post harvest facilities, irrigation, access to credit, research and development and extension, and income diversification which were aimed to reduce poverty in the rural areas.
"This info caravan will provide a venue to showcase and demonstrate new agricultural technologies to the farmers, know the farmers and fishers concerns and impart more knowledge through project visitation and field tours," Dir. Nacionales said.
"We also have exhibits of outstanding programs and projects of the DA family in this region and we believe that through this we can encourage the local government units to fully support the agricultural programs in order to enhance productivity and increase income of the local farmers," he added.
Some 400 participants composed of farmers, farmer leaders, fishers, rural women, youth leaders, chief executives, provincial and municipal agriculturists, state colleges and universities president, cooperative chairmen and other stakeholders were invited to take part in this grand launching.
According to Mr. Ricardo Saltin, the regional corn coordinator, the projects to be visited by the participants are: rice varietal trials, natural farming demonstration, organic farming with the use of tricoderma, earthworm and effective micro-organisms, and seed processing center.
Likewise, technology demonstration on Bio-N, organic farming, leaf color chart (LCC), minus one element technique (MOET), axial stove with the use of rice hull, meat/food/fruits processing, handicrafts making, animal and dairy production and natural farming will be given by experts and specialist to the participants.
This info caravan will be replicated in the six provinces in Western Visayas so as to bring new technologies and updates on rice and corn programs in particular and innovations in agriculture industry in general closer to the farmer clientele.
(JEEO/RAFID 6)