WevNet, Gov't agencies to host forum on farmers' concerns
The Western Visayas Network of Non-Government Organizations (WevNet) in collaboration with the regional offices of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Reform will tackle the pressing concerns of farmers and the agriculture sector in Western Visayas through a Regional Farmers' Forum on 29 January 2009 at the Amigo Terrace Hotel, Iloilo City.
The two-part forum will cover agriculture issues in the morning and agrarian reform concerns in the afternoon.
"The activity is a significant convergence for farmers and government for it provides the venue to learn and discuss civil society participation and engagement in the implementation of agriculture projects," explained by Boyet Areño, WevNet regional coordinator.
The forum seeks to ensure the participation of civil society organizations in the social accountability of the government (primary focus on the DA and the budget process) and in strengthening the promotion of sustainable development and climate change adaptation programs. It also aims to build a strong relationship with the bureaucracy, the reason why government agencies in the region such as DA and DAR are actively involved in the activity.
The CSO's in Western Visayas are gearing towards the reactivation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Councils. It is towards this end that the organizers encourage the active involvement of farmer constituents in the process such as planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of agriculture projects.
Another important issue which will be tackled in the forum is the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). "Being a significant issue, we devoted an entire session in the afternoon for a substantive discussion on reforms and advocacies for the program's extension," added by Areño.
Key leaders of the farmer's sector are expected to arrive in Iloilo City to share updates and insights on the issues. Among them are from the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), the Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CARRD) and the Caucus of Development NGO's (Code-NGO).
The activity is being facilitated by WevNet and the Iloilo Caucus of Development NGOs (ICode), in partnership with the Katilingban sang mga Agraryo Padulong sa Pag-uswag sang Iloilo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (KASAPPI ARBMPC) and the PAKISAMA.