TAYUM, Abra – Department of Agriculture Sec. William Dar and Gov. Maria Jocelyn Bernos on Saturday led the groundbreaking ceremony for an agri-tourism site here which will double as a training area for farmers.
Bernos said the project site is a 34.293-hectare lot situated in Barangay Gaddani.
She said that the project will have an agricultural tourism technology demonstration and learning site for recreational and production purposes.
“Several packages of technologies and innovations will be developed in the proposed site to showcase the agricultural technologies on rice, corn, high value crops, industrial crops, organic agriculture and fisheries,” Bernos said.
She added that the site will serve as an area for livestock production as well as for bee culture.
“To enhance the skills of our farmers, we will establish machinery training and service center, soil and tissue culture laboratory production facilities, solar powered irrigation facilities, processing center, and farmers’ training center,” Bernos said.
The area will also have a non-agricultural component such as agri-tourism and display center, multi-purpose function hall, engineered bamboo processing center, bamboo clonal garden, and a recreational center.
Dar assured that his agency will y support the development of the agri-tourism site.
“We want to improve the lives of our farmers and to address the issues on food security,” he said.
He said agri-tourism integrates the gains of research and development, particularly innovative and modern technologies that produce quality products.
“These technologies vary from protective and precision agriculture, organic agriculture, food processing and development, agricultural information and communications management, and even biotechnology,” he said.
Dar added he wants DA to establish its research and development center in Abra to further assist in the development of innovations for the farmers.
“We will see to it that DA will do its share in turning this facility into reality, thus showcasing the bamboo products,” he said. – PNA release
April 26, 2024
