Department of Agriculture-Region 11 Director Ricardo Oñate, Jr. (Photo courtesy of DA-11)
DAVAO CITY – To further open market doors to the farmers, the Department of Agriculture in Region 11 (DA-11) will establish the Kadiwa Diskwento Caravan and Kadiwa sa Marina Tuna next month.
In a statement Thursday, DA-11 said the Kadiwa Diskwento Caravan is a partnership between the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Unifrutti Philippines Inc.; while the Kadiwa sa Marina Tuna is in partnership with Marina Tuna CEO Domingo Ang.
DA-11 Director Ricardo Oñate, Jr. said the activities would allow farmers in the far-flung areas in this city such as in the districts of Paquibato, Marilog, and Calinan to have a direct market for their produce right at their doorsteps--cutting the transportation cost and getting rid of middlemen for better returns.
"We want to make sure that farmers receive the assistance and support from the government, from the production phase up to the marketing of their produce. We can only achieve that thru farmer-centered and market-oriented programs and projects and strengthened partnerships," he said.
Oñate added that it will also benefit the consumers in the target areas to have access to safe, healthy, and affordable food amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We have to ensure that we have the required volume of produce to sustain these Kadiwa markets and with that, we need you our active partners," he said.
Oñate also added that DA-11 offers Kadiwa Grant to coops up to PHP5-million as capital for their venture, to purchase hauling trucks, facilities, and equipment.
Apart from that, DA-11 is also eyeing the establishment of the Kadiwa sa Kalinaw, Gulayan sa Kampo, and seed production areas with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to help in bridging the gap in the establishment of People Organizations' livelihood.
"With the help of our operations and research team, we are looking into establishing more agricultural and livelihood programs in Paquibato, Marilog, and Calinan to empower these farming communities to be more productive in support to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)," Oñate said. (PNA)
