DA calls on farmers, fisherfolks to defy climate change thru modern technology
Tacloban City (18 May) -- The merry month of May has been designated as the Farmers and Fisherfolks Month and for this year the month-long activities revolve around the theme "Magsasaka at Mangingisda, Sama-Samang Harapin ang Hamon ng Climate Change Gamit ang Makabagong Teknolohiya."
The Department of Agriculture in Region 8 has lined up several activities to highlight the month-long celebration, Regional Executive Director Leo Caņeda said.
"We are strengthening our advocacy on Hybrid Rice," Director Caņeda disclosed. Hybrid rice achieves greater yields and thus farmers earn more without increasing their cultivation area, Director Caņeda said.
The Department of Agriculture makes use of techno demo as it never fails to impress farmers since it really shows that rice farming is profitable with the use of hybrid rice that yields much higher than the traditional or inbred rice varieties. This only shows that with all the stakeholders participating, an increase in farmer's income and rice self-sufficiency can be achieved.
The Department of Agriculture in Region 8 has completed a series of consultation and awareness building on climate change with the DA extensionists throughout the Region, Director Caņeda added.
The agency is investing in core infrastructure to help Philippine agriculture adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. The infrastructure investments in the agricultural sector are focused on five concerns namely, rehabilitation of irrigation systems and municipal fish ports; construction of farm-to-market roads (FMRs); ensuring of funds for loans to farmers and fisherfolk; and increased budget allocations for extension services and research and development.
RED Caņeda added that the DA Region 8 has just conducted the farmer graduation for several university on the air courses, in line with the thrust to continue educating the farmers on modern farming technologies.
He said that under the Arroyo Administration, the priority of the DA has been not only to further raise yields to ensure food security and sufficiency but also to raise the incomes of farmers, fisherfolk and other agricultural stakeholders. (PIA 8) [top]
