City, DA give farming equipment to local farmer coops

The city government led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong thru the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) and the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) turned-over three UV plastic sheets, six walking-type tractors, 10 black garden nets, four rolls of PVC pipe/hose, vegetable seeds, and nine drums to various Farmer Cooperatives and Associations in the Summer Capital.

CVAO head Dr. Silardo Bested said the awarding is a proactive step to support urban farmers since the city recognizes the pivotal role of agricultural support services in enhancing efficiency, productivity, and sustainability within the agricultural sector.

The activity was held on Oct. 4 at the City Hall grounds just after the 3rd Quarter City Coordination Meeting Cum Farmers Consultation at the City Hall Sangguniang Panlungsod Session Hall conducted by the CVAO urban agriculture division in collaboration with the DA.

CVAO senior agriculturist Marcelina Tabelin said the consultation provided crucial updates on the current state of agriculture and was attended by the Mayor, coun. Isabelo ‘Popo’ Cosalan who chairs the city council’s agriculture committee, including top officials and key representatives from concerned national government agencies (NGAs).

Tabelin said the meeting included an open forum where the queries and concerns of attending farmers were addressed.

She also presented the salient components of the five-year Urban Agriculture Development Plan and its alignment to the thrusts and priorities of concerned NGAs and to the city government’s seven-point core agenda. – Gaby B. Keith