Tuesday, May 24, 2016

DA Honors Its Constant Valuable Partners, Intensifies Mitigation Efforts Against El Niño

This month, the Department of Agriculture (DA) recognizes the farmers and fishers for being the constant valuable partners of the government in nation building especially their invaluable contribution to the economic growth of the Philippine agriculture and food sustainability.

This year’s theme “Magsasaka’t Mangingisda Katuwang sa Pag-unlad ng Bansa” values the agri-fishery laborers who serve as backbone in rural development and food security program.

The conduct of the activity is pursuant to Proclamation No. 33 signed by President Corazon C. Aquino in 1989, declaring the month of May as “Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month”. During this event, the men and women of the agri-fishery sector are given due recognition and tribute for the major role they play in economic recovery.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala believes that the farmers and fishers deserve to be recognized because of their significant role in attaining country’s food self-sufficiency and sustainability.

He stressed that the food we intake should be credited to our hardworking farmers and fishers.

“Thanks to their contributions, the country’s agri sector remains at par with other ASEAN nations,” Alcala said.

This year’s celebration of the Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month coincides with the continuous campaign of DA to help farmers and fishers amidst El Niño phenomenon, intensifying its mitigation efforts to protect the farmers and fisherfolks.

Though the damage wrought by the prolonged dry is considerable, the DA still intensifies its mitigation effort to protect the farmers and fisherfolks.

To address the problem, DA deployed its Regional Field Offices (RFOs) to provide interventions and initiate strategies and activities to the affected farmers as early as 2014 and regularly meets with PAGASA to monitor El Niño development. At present, DA has fully utilized its Quick Response Fund (QRF) worth P370.08 million, which has been allocated to the affected regions.

DA also allocated funds for small water impounding projects and diversion dams to help farmers produce source of water and in preparation for the onset of La Niña, which often follows El Niño episodes.

Further, DA released the following recommendations to mitigate El Nino: maximization of production in non-threatened areas, saving vulnerable areas through appropriate irrigation intervention or crop shifting using short gestation crops, massive information dissemination, and rehabilitation of vulnerable areas that cannot be saved.

The celebration of the Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month is commemorated across the nation through the DA Regional Field offices from May 23 to May 27, 2016. #  Source – www.da.gov.ph

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