C3
AGRICULTURE
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2024
agriculture.manilastandard@gmail.com PATRICIA TACULAO-DELIGERO, Editor
Bohol Bee Farm in Dauis
Bohol to host 7th farm tourism conference A FTER a five-year lull due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Provincial Government of Bohol is hosting the resumption of the Philippine Farm Tourism Conference set at The Bellevue Resort in Panglao on Feb. 26 to 28. Now, on its 7th edition, the international event is organized by the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) and supported by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) based in Los Baños, Laguna.
DTI-led exhibit of agricultural produce and by-products under its One Town One Product program and a farm tour, which will visit notable farm tourism sites. Conference topics include the hospitality industry embracing the sustainable farm-to-table concept, processing fruits and vegetables – key to food security, proper marketing and revenue, value-added benefits of artisanal fisheries, the revival of the country’s multi-million seaweeds industry, the pampano fish as the upcoming star of aquaculture, and green investment in agriculture and tourism in the Asian setting. The conference will also confer the 4th Lakbay Bukid Awards to five local and foreign individuals and organizations who contributed to Asian farm tourism development. Bohol’s first district congressman, Edgar Chatto, noted that the event is an opportunity to showcase the island Themed “Farm Tourism: Consciousness province as the country’s first UNESCO for Healthy Living and New Experiences,” Global Geopark in 2023, recognizing the conference will showcase lessons from its rich terrestrial and marine attributes the pandemic and share best practices spread out in an 8,808-sq km area. that seek to provide social and economic Chatto, the House of Representatives’s empowerment to communities. Chairperson of the Climate Change The event is also supported by the Committee, will also be one of the resource ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, the persons in the three-day gathering. Department of Tourism, the Tourism Participants will immerse in farm sites Promotions Board, the Department such as Loboc Cacao Farm, Asin Tibuok of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries makers in Albuquerque, Kinaiyahan and Aquatic Resources, the Philippine Forest Park in Bilar, Lasang Cacao Farm Exporters Confederation (Philexport), the in Maribojoc, Green Thumb Farm in Department of Trade and Industry, and Corella, South Farm in Panglao, Bohol Asin Tibuok makers of Alburquerque Philippine Airlines as the official carrier. Bee Farm in Dauis, Manay’s Farm in According to ISST president Mina San Miguel, Ubay Dairy Farm, and Jagna Gabor, this year’s conference will focus on sustainable growth Recycling Facility and Eco Farm. through fruit and vegetable farm cultivation, aquaculture and The group will also visit the province’s iconic attractions of artisanal fisheries, and green investments in farm tourism. Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella and the Chocolate Hills Park in The former tourism chief said that the confab will also have a Carmen.
Bataan legislated multi-purpose marine hatchery breaks ground
The multi-purpose marine hatchery aims to improve the capacity of aquafarm operators in Bataan to meet the demand for fish seed.
A HISTORIC groundbreaking ceremony of a Legislated Multi-Purpose Marine Hatchery was held in Brgy. Quinawan, Bagac, Bataan, this Jan. 26. The ceremony was led by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) led by BFAR Region 3 Regional Director Wilfredo Cruz as BFAR National Director Demosthenes R. Escoto’s representative. The project was made possible by Republic Act 11912, or “An Act Establishing a Multi-Species Marine Hatchery in the Municipality of Bagac, Bataan.” In the message of DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., shared by DA RFO 3 Regional Executive Director Crispulo G. Bautista, Jr., he thanked the provincial government of Bataan, the local government of Bagac, BFAR, and
DENR-CENRO for their cooperation in this initiative. He also mentioned the vital role of SHAREMAX Holdings Inc. in providing one hectare of land for the establishment of the hatchery. This over 30-million-peso project aims to improve the capacity of aquafarm operators in Bataan to meet the demand for fish seed. It is expected that the hatchery will be the primary source of milkfish fry, seabass fry, giant freshwater prawn or lobster seed stocks, and other high-value species such as pompano, grouper, and red snapper. Moreover, the hatchery will also feature environmentally friendly operations and new technology such as hybrid design solar-powered equipment, water treatment disposals, and innovative breeding tanks for the bangus. Its design
can guide other operators in the fish hatchery sector to improve fish seed production. The hatchery will also be an on-site training facility that will provide training on hatchery techniques, fish hatchery management, and new technologies. It also aims to be a training center for students from schools and universities in Bataan. After construction, BFAR will manage and provide the necessary knowledge and skills for two years. Through a Memorandum of Agreement, the facility and management will be transferred to the provincial and town governments. Gov. Jose Enrique Garcia III, Vice Gov. Maria Christina Garcia, Mayor Rommel Del Rosario, and other Bataan provincial and town government officials were also part of the ceremony.
Kinaiyahan Forest Park in Bilar
The MOU between the Philippines and Vietnam creates a framework for the promotion of sustainable rice trade cooperation
DA inks cooperation agreement with Vietnam AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. signed a memorandum of understanding with Minister Nguyen Hong Dien of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam to enhance cooperation on rice trade. The MOU creates a framework for promoting sustainable rice trade cooperation that meets the common interests of the Philippines and Vietnam. Under the MOU, Vietnam commits to supply the Philippines with 1.5 to 2 million metric tons of white rice annually. For five years, the two agencies will also pursue other cooperation activities, such as exchanging information on rice production, crop situation, and import and export needs, among other actions. The DA and the Ministry of Industry and Trade will also cooperate to ensure that rice from Vietnam complies with the Philippines’ food safety and plant health requirements. To further facilitate smooth trade and help ensure food security, the two ministries agreed to closely coordinate to address illegal rice trade and consult with each other ahead of any imposition of export measures that could hinder or delay exportations. “While DA is focused in improving capacities for increased agricultural productivity, it is equally imperative to maintain a robust trade to help ensure food security, in particular, the supply of rice, especially in challenging times,” says Tiu Laurel. He added, “Vietnam is an important trading partner of the Philippines in agricultural commodities. It is, in fact, our third-largest trading partner in the ASEAN region in terms of overall value of agricultural trade.
Around 80 percent of our rice imports are from Vietnam, and the Philippine market accounts for over 40 percent of Vietnam’s rice exports.” Aside from cooperation on the rice trade, the Department also formalized the agreement on cooperation in agriculture with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Tiu Laurel and Le Minh Hoan agreed to strengthen existing agriculture bilateral relations and update the previous cooperation agreement signed in 1999. The new memorandum of understanding will promote and intensify mutual support between the Philippines and Vietnam in areas covering high-value crops, livestock (including dairy), and aquaculture production and development; postharvest facilities and food processing; digital and climate-smart agriculture; agri-fisheries mechanization; among others. During his bilateral meeting with Minister Le Minh Hoan, Tiu Laurel articulated, “The Philippines puts high importance on its bilateral relations with Vietnam in the field of agriculture, and it considers Vietnam a key partner in the effort to transform the agriculture sector of the Philippines as well.” The two agreements were signed during the State Visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan. 29-30, 2024. Marcos and Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong witnessed the exchange of bilateral documents. On the margins of the State Visit, Secretary Tiu Laurel Jr. also witnessed the signing of memoranda of agreements and understanding between three Philippine and eight Vietnamese enterprises on rice supply and food value chain.