Farmers need skills to improve productivity – Villar

MALOLOS, Bulacan, Philippines – Filipino farmers need more access to further trainings and education to help them increase their income and be more competitive.

This was the message of Sen. Cynthia Villar during the opening of the 15th National Vegetable Congress and Agro-Industrial Exhibit at the Provincial Capitol Gymnasium of Bulacan.

The three-day  congress which kicked off last Nov. 16  had the theme, “Moving Together Towards The Attainment of Affordable And Available Food For Every Filipino” gathered about 500 vegetable growers from the vegetable-growing areas of the country to help them improve on their vegetable production techniques.

Citing studies, Villar said the factors that prevent farmers from becoming successful are lack of technical expertise and lack of financial literacy.

Farmers should be educated on new technologies, processes and strategies so they can increase the productivity of their farms and learn how to operate these on a business scale, Villar said.

Noting that government support to agriculture is crucial, Villar recently filed “The Local Government Agriculture Development Act of 2016” to strengthen the local government participation in agriculture development.

The proposed bill seeks to institutionalize a 10 percent allocation from local government unit’s IRA or Internal Revenue Allotment to implement programs, activities and services for agriculture and fisheries advancement.

She pointed out that many LGUs fail to provide enough support to the farmers.

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado, meanwhile, is hopeful that  congress will help boost the vegetable industry in Bulacan and provide more opportunities and livelihood to Bulacan farmers.

The congress aims to formulate and recommend programs, strategies and laws to strengthen and improve vegetable production chain, consequently establishing food security and sufficiency, and increase per capita consumption of vegetable as a national nutrition improvement initiative.

Participants to the three-day congress get a chance to join farm tours on vegetable-producing areas in Bulacan, participate in  discussions on the situationer of the Philippine vegetable industry, breed a new generation of vegetable seeds for food sustainability, seed  new technologies on proper post-harvest handling on vegetable in the Philippines, KROPS – agriculture e-commerce made easy.