Aimed at establishing new Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) villages in the region, the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera conducted two inception meetings with key officials in Flora, Apayao, and Paracelis, Mountain Province.
The activity became an avenue to mainstream AMIA, the flagship program of the national government in mitigating the negative impacts of climate change in the agriculture sector.
Crisante K. Rosario, Agriculturist II from the DA presented the program highlighting its four components; the Climate Resiliency and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA), Climate Resilient Agriculture, Climate Information Service, and Climate Resilient Agri-fishery Technology-bases Enterprises.
Steps in establishing an AMIA village were also reiterated.
Rosario stressed the importance of the involvement of the local government unit in setting up an AMIA village as they are at the forefront of delivering services to the community.
The LGU can also provide administrative and even technical assistance to the program implementers in conducting activities.
“The main strategy of the program is to establish AMIA villages modelling climate-resilient agriculture technologies and practices as well as the provision of highly responsive tailor-fitted support services to identified farmer-cooperators,” Rosario highlighted.
The CRVA map of the two municipalities was also presented showing the areas’ high vulnerability to climate risk and weather extremes, hence, the implementation of the AMIA program.
Flora Municipal Agriculturist Natividad C. Ramos said the town has an active cluster cooperative consisting of 12 farmers cooperative associations (FCAs) that are continuously being sustained and assisted by the LGU through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist. Notably, the office has an established database management system to monitor the various FCAs.
Floral Municipal Administrator Marilou B. Valdez, who represented Mayor Rodolfo B. Juan, Sr., assured the LGU’s support to the program.
Paracelis Municipal Agriculturist Abraham Gaddawan said they conducted an initial assessment in various barangays to see the situation of their constituents in the agriculture sector.
He also expressed his appreciation that a new intervention is introduced through the AMIA program which will aid in uplifting the farming community in the locality.
Mountain Province Administrator Dominga A. Cabatu said the provincial government through the Provincial Agriculturist Office will be hands-on in supporting the program implementers and will oversee the conduct of activities related to the program. – Kimverly V. Diwas
