DA regional offices ordered to conduct regular seminars

Following the enthusiastic response of farmers and ordinary housewives to the training on Onion and Garlic farming conducted by the Agriculture Department in Davao City Friday, I have directed all Agriculture and Fisheries Regional Offices to regularly conduct trainings in all provinces.The trainings, lectures and actual demonstration must be conducted in all provinces all over the country.These would include the followingand- Garlic and Onion Farming in areas where these products as suitable- Coffee and Cacao Growing, Harvesting and Processing- Vegetable and Mushroom Farming and Marketing- Backyard poultry and hog raising, processing.and marketing- Backyard Fish Farming, Processing and Marketing- Seaweed and Sea Cucumber Farming, and many more.I know that there have been similar trainings in the past but the advocacy for more trainings under this administration is different because there will be follow up support activities like financing and marketing.In the case of those who participated in the Onion and Garlic Training in the Davao School for the Blind yesterday, they will be given a packet of Onion and Garlic seeds which they will be asked to plant in their respective farms.Those whose farm trials will prove successful, the Agriculture Department will provide them with the needed financing.For Onion and Garlic farmers, a financing of P150,000 per hectare will be granted by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) through lending conduits.Storage and Cold Storage Facilities will also be established.The new strategy in improving food production and addressing rural poverty will now focus on technology, financing and marketing.