60th Prov’l Farm Family Forum Held

The Cebu Provincial Government, through the Provincial Agriculture Office (PPAO), held the 60th Provincial Farm Family Forum and Achievement Day at the Capitol Social Hall on Friday, April 26.

Almost 300 participants from the different local government units joined the activity with a theme, “Farm Family: Key Towards Food Availability, Affordability, Security and Sustainability.”

The whole-day activity was highlighted by simultaneous contests, including canvass painting, seaweed recipe contest, food processing, mosaic, one dish meal cooking, promotional video-making, cacao-based processing and packaging technology, glass gardening, quiz bee, spoken poetry, Himig Handog contest and singing contest.

Dr. Roldan Saragena, the PPAO head, said the activity was organized with the support of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to show the importance of farming and fishing in providing food to the community.

“Dako kaayo og role atong family farms para sa pagsulbad sa kagutom ug kalisod ilabi na sa rural development,” said Saragena.

He explained that Cebu has a lot of islets surrounding the main island of the province that are hardly reached but family farming provides food to the community in these areas.

“Tungod na sa family farming nga maoy naghatag og pagkaon sa atong komunidad,” he said.

He further stated that family farms provide livelihood to the families from generation to generation.

However, there are a few challenges that family farming are facing.

“Kini atong pagpanguma sa Lalawigan sa Sugbo challenge napud kay daghan na og land conversion himuon sa yuta,” said Saragena.

Other challenges Saragena mentioned were climate change, pests and diseases, poor marketing system and less interest of youth in farming.

“Time will come wa na tay manguma… Ang batan-on di na ganahan manguma,” he said.

Saragena highlighted that the government and people must face these challenges by working together in order to sustain the practice of farming.

“Kini ang atong hagit mao ang paghimo nga usa ka resilient ang pagpanguma… If we do care for the future, ang family farming ato gyud i-sustain,” he added.

DA 7 Regional Technical Director for Operations Marina Hermoso was among the guests during the event.

Hermoso said they always set projects for farm families and rural organizations that can be brought down to the barangay and sitio levels.

The activity ended with the declaration and awarding of winners led by Saragena. (Cebu Provincial Govt.)