Agriculture Sec. William Dar thanked its partners in the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita program and sought for continued partnership with the private sector to support the country’s farmers and fisherfolks.
Dar recognized the stakeholders who supported the local farmers and fisherfolks who were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic by letting them sell their produce directly to the public through the “Farmers’ Produce” project, which is part of the DA’s Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita program.
The program links the farmers and fisherfolks to the buyers through the facilitation of the DA with the Resto PH and the SM Supermalls. SM provided farmers and cooperatives free spaces where they could sell their produce.
With the success of the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita, Dar is now looking forward to a long-term partnership with private groups for the activity as an efficient marketing strategy under the DA.
“We want to have a win-win preposition where the farmers would benefit more under this arrangement as well as the consuming public who can enjoy affordable goods when they buy from the Kadiwa market,” Dar said when he visited the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita at the SM City Baguio recently.
The Farmers’ Produce project in Baguio City catered to at least 20 farmer and fisherfolk cooperatives and associations from the Cordillera from Oct. 22 to Nov. 1.
“If we sustain this, I think this is a good strategy for the farmer cooperatives and associations to strengthen further their groups so they can deliver volume and quality of these vegetables and fruits,” Dar said.
Dar was joined by SM City Baguio Mall Manager Rona Vida Correa, Resto PH president Eric Teng, Baguio City Veterinarian Brigette Piok, DA-Cordillera OIC Director Cameron Odsey, and representatives of different farmers’ organization and cooperatives. – Redjie M. Cawis
