Samar PLGU-DA holds 2nd Provincial Farmers and Fisher folks Congress

By PIA Samar and AVHA H. EBALDE
August 6, 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY  –  The Provincial Government of Samar and the Department of Agriculture Samar successfully conducted the 2nd Provincial Farmers and Fisher folks Congress at Samar Gymnasium, Catbalogan City on August 6, 2012.

During the Congress, DA Region 8 Director Antonio Gerundio encouraged the farmers to be an agribusiness enthusiast or be an entrepreneur.

“Think of how much will return to you if you invest in any kind of farming, and how much you will benefit from it,” he said. Good harvest with good profit, he added.

Gerudio also encourage farmers as parents to encourage their children to eat vegetables.

Abito Diaz, Matuguinao Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries Council Chairman (MAFC), a farmer owning one hectare rice field said that this is his first time to attend a Farmers Congress, and he learned a lot from it.

Diaz also benefited from DA seeds distribution and AKBAY financial assistance of 10,000 pesos.

The whole day event was led by Vice Governor Stephen James Tan, Provincial Agriculturist Anita Taran with farmers representatives in fisheries, livestock, corn, rice, and High Valued Commercial Development Program (HVCDP) from 26 Municipalities of Samar as participants.

Vice-Governor Tan said that this 2nd Farmers Congress is right on time in the sense that the province will conduct an Annual Investment Plan (AIP), and with the request from the farmers he said that agriculture will get the 2nd highest budget for the next year 2013.

“More on road networks or concreting of farm to market roads are our priority to help our farmers,” said Tan.

The Farmers Congress was also attended by representatives from the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council (PAFC), Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council (RAFC), National Agriculture and Fisheries Council (NAFC DA Quezon City), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Samar, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), PAGASA, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Region 8 and Department of Agriculture Region 8.

During the Activity, Vice-Governor Tan led the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Automatic Weather Station (AWS) between Director Rosella Gopo DOST and Eduardo Dela Cruz of PAGASA.