Agri-fisheries councils in the barangays institutionalized

Programs in agriculture and fisheries will soon be implemented in the city following the passage of an ordinance institutionalizing the Barangay Agriculture and Fisheries Committee (BAFC).
The BAFC will consist of the punong barangay as the chairperson; the president of the farmer’s association, urban, gardeners, or other similar organizations as the vice chairperson; two members of the barangay council; two youth representatives; sectoral representatives who are knowledgeable on livestock and poultry, fisheries and aquaculture, coffee and other commercial crops, urban gardening; and representatives from the private sector (non-agriculture).
Councilor Philian Louise Weygan-Allan, main author of the ordinance, said there is a need to institutionalize the BAFC to ensure that all agricultural concerns in the different barangays are given attention and acted upon.
The BAFC will serve as the implementer and monitoring arm of the Department of Agriculture, City Veterinary and Agriculture Office, and other implementing agencies for programs and projects to be conducted in the barangays.
Every barangay committee is tasked to review project proposals from farmer associations intended for urban agriculture development and endorse them to concerned offices or agencies.
The barangay committees will consult and coordinate with the existing City Agriculture and Fisheries Council on the city’s programs and policies in agriculture and fisheries.
Among the programs, projects, and activities to be conducted by the BAFC in support of farmer organizations, cooperatives, and associations will be information dissemination campaigns, skills trainings, and capacity building activities, project development and implementation, and project monitoring.
The city will allocate P200,000 annually as a subsidy for the annual farmers’/growers’ summit and other city-wide activities.
A portion of the barangay fund may be allocated to fund activities of the committee which includes quarterly meetings, special meetings, and project monitoring activities in their own barangays, among other initiatives. – Jordan G. Habbiling