The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) opened on Tuesday, October 11, the back-to-back AFC Visayas Congress and Areawide Participatory Performance Review and Planning Workshop in Leyte.
In partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) VIII the three-day event aims to provide a venue to address issues common to the Visayas regions and discuss the DA’s policy directions and initiatives.
In her opening remarks, OIC-Regional Executive Director Angel Enriquez lauded the Agricultural and Fishery Council (AFC) volunteers from across the Visayas for their efforts to assist the government through their relevant policy recommendations and reliable monitoring reports.
“Bakit kayo nandito ngayon? May sahod ba kayo? No. You are here because of your dedication and passion to serve,” said Enriquez.
Noting the country’s aging population of farmers, Dir. Enriquez encouraged learning and knowledge transfers in the sector.
“We need the experience and wisdom you can share with the Department of Agriculture,” she said.
Meanwhile, Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla delivered the keynote on the importance of technology and financial support for farmers and fisherfolk.
“Everything is technology-driven. Technology is a front-runner if we want to compete these days,” said Gov. Petilla.
He explained the importance of adopting the right technology for farming and fishery to boost production and profitability while maintaining food safety.
According to Gov. Petilla, the government sector is impeded by frequent leadership changes, so the private sector—like the AFCs—provides continuity to successful programs and projects.
RAFC Eastern Visayas Chairperson Engr. Miguel Pedroso praised the AFCs for motivating one another, as well as the government for its support.
“Tayo ang nakakaalam ng problema sa ground, tayo din ang makakagawa ng solusyon. As volunteer leaders, we are uplifting the lives of farmers and fishers. Kailangan natin ng suporta ng isa’t-isa at ng gobyerno,” he said.
The DA-RFO VIII gathered more than 100 AFC leaders and members composed of regional and provincial AFC Chairpersons, RAFC Executive Officers, Coordinators, and Regional Sectoral Committee Chairpersons from Central, Eastern, and Western Visayas.
The AFCs will create policy resolutions related to women’s rights in the A&F sector, rural development value-chain in the Visayas, and urban and peri-urban agriculture under the theme “Volunteers Making a Difference the AFC Way: Adaptive, Flexible, and Creative Towards the New Normal.”
PCAF, the DA’s policy-making arm, will hold the final leg of the AFC Congress in Butuan City on October 25-28, 2022. | MQ
