Department of Agriculture – Cordillera (DA-CAR) Regional Executive Director Cameron P. Odsey is very hopeful for the future of agriculture in the region as he graced the 3rd Regional Philippine Association of Agriculturists (PAA)-Cordillera Chapter Convention on May 24-25, 2023 via Facebook live stream.
He especially cited that the agricultural products in the Cordilleras, particularly highland vegetables is competitive in terms of production and quality that reaches even the markets as far as Visayas and Mindanao. Other crops specifically rice, corn, arabica coffee, cacao, and mango also show potential competitiveness. Hence, Dir. Odsey believes that the future of agriculture in the region is very bright. “That bright future where agriculture is a great challenge to our agriculturists because they will be in the center of that future. We therefore look forward to a better and greater role of the agriculturists in our region in the future and the PAA-CAR will definitely play a starring role in that regard,” he stated.
Dir. Odsey is also optimistic for the youth to be more active in agriculture as he believes that agriculture’s future lies with more youth entering the sector. He shared that the experiences of implementing the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) program of DA have been very encouraging. “There is a need to revitalize the agriculture sector. The use of technology has been very interesting to the youth and we hope that it will encourage more youths to make agriculture a profession,” he said.
The YFC is a financial assistance program given to youths who will or are already engaged in agri-fishery enterprises in which the awardees are given a grant to fund their business model canvass and projects. This year, the DA has leveled up the program as they launched the YFC Start-up for applicants who will engage in a new enterprise, and YFC Upscale for the previous awardees who are still in need of support to continue or improve their enterprises.
He also mentioned the strategic significance of the region’s watersheds being the main source of water for agriculture, domestic and energy requirements to neighboring regions of Ilocos, Cagayan, and Central Luzon. Hence, the need to balance the watersheds with the needs for agricultural areas. “In this regard, we would need the support of the other regions in the preservation of our watersheds even as we make our agricultural areas in the highlands more efficient,” he stressed.
Further, Dir. Odsey underscored the crucial roles of agriculturists in CAR especially with several challenges the agriculture profession is currently facing. Relating to the convention’s theme ‘Enhancing the Capabilities, Work Ethics and Value of Professional Agriculturists in the Cordillera’, he believes that agriculturists are upholding the profession’s standards. “As mentioned in the Professional Agriculture Code of Ethics, you are instrumental in sharing agricultural technology to benefit more farmers and, when necessary, collaborate and exchange information with professionals in pursuit of a common goal of excellence; advocate and promote public safety and the use of agricultural technology for the protection of people and the environment,” he said.
The theme, accordingly, is timely as Dir. Odsey recognizes the continuing challenge of the devolution of agricultural extension services due to the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling and Executive Order No. 138, empowering the LGUs to implement agricultural extension and capacitate agricultural extension workers (AEW) to perform their functions. In response, Dir. Ordsey mentioned that the DA through the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Services (PAFES) Program was implemented recently, aiming to strengthen the LGUs and recognize the important role of Professional agriculturists to lead in providing agricultural extension services and technical advice to farmers.
The PAFES is a way of preparing the LGUs in light of the said Ruling. The DA through the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) has allocated P11M to the region dedicated to the capacity-building activities of AEW.
The fund was already downloaded to Apayao, Benguet, Mt. Province and Kalinga. Ifugao’s allocation is for download while for Abra, the fund will be managed by ATI-CAR as agreed upon.
Cordillera, being the only highland region in the country, he added, is another challenge and a unique one for the agriculturists in the region. Accordingly, there is a need to specialize in highland agriculture and a need to be responsive to the needs of the highland farmers.
Additionally, agriculturists are faced with the challenge of encouraging agriculturists to be entrepreneurs. He said that as agriculture graduates, they should learn to be employers and not employees. “It all depends on the resources, but there is now the challenge for more agriculturists to join the private sector, either as farm managers or entrepreneurs,” he underscored.
The 2-day Regional Convention, led by PAA-CAR Chapter president and DA-CAR Regional Corn Coordinator Gerardo P. Banawa, was participated by more than 300 hundred agriculturists in the region and in other provinces outside CAR. The activity aims to further capacitate the agriculturists to proactively address emerging opportunities and challenges in agriculture. It also aims to strengthen relationships, camaraderie, and network with agricultural policymakers, fellow agriculturists, researchers, and extension workers. The convention also serves as a channel for updates on PAA accomplishments and plans, and the latest agricultural innovations, technologies, research, practices, and extensions that are key to food production, marketing, and consumption.** CEWaytan
