The Department of Agriculture Cordillera in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Cordillera kicked off the regionwide Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investments in Regional Exposition (Aspire) on Dec. 10.
Featuring platforms for market matching, Kadiwa retailing, agribusiness investment fora, and new normal marketing discussions, the Aspire was attended by 111 farmers and entrepreneurs across the Cordillera.
Organized through DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division, this year’s Aspire revolves around agribusiness resiliency amidst global uncertainties posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The launching was attended by Miss Earth Water 2020 Roxanne Allison Baeyens, DA-Cordillera Executive Director Cameron Odsey, PCCI-Cordillera Executive Director Trinidad Trinidad, DTI-Cordillera Director Myrna Pablo, and DA-Cordillera Technical Director Danilo Daguio.
Baeyens said that during this climate of fear and uncertainty, she realized that farming is never a joke.
An advocate of agriculture, Baeyens encouraged the youth to take part in agriculture as it is the hope of the country.
“I also feel for the farmers, I hope that through this Aspire, they would be able to earn what they deserve. Farmers work hard to provide for their families. To create a way of living, to send their children to school, so I hope we consider that because their dreams are valid,” she said.
Odsey encouraged participants to tap amplified government efforts in unfolding farmer potentials and capacities as successful entrepreneurs.
“I understand that even if we want to do what we want to do, to follow our passion but sometimes our passion is precisely tempered by this pandemic. That is why DA, DTI, and other agencies continuously support our farmers through agribusiness. We will help you learn how to do it in this new normal,” he said.
Other topics discussed during exhibition were agribusiness resiliency and innovation, agribusiness e-commerce, social media marketing, product photography and videography, and market matching. – MJ Dacillo
