Marine algae propagation pushed during discussions

The propagation of marine algae was one of the suggestions that came up during the recently held consultations among food stakeholders in the Visayas.

Maximo Ricohermoso, seaweed sector representative of the Regional Fisheries and Aquatic Marine Center, said the Philippines is still not rated as a pollutant despite its huge gas emissions into the atmosphere.

In fact, Ricohermoso said that the country is one of the mitigators of global warming because of the presence of mangroves which are propagation sites of marine algae.

“We are one of the leading countries that are growing algae and so we had helped mitigate the problem on global warming,” Ricohermoso said.

Which is why programs on planting of mangroves and seaweeds should be supported, he said

Algae are macroscopic and multi-cellular plants like marine organism popularly known as seaweeds.

Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Segfred Serrano said local government units should create a special framework for agriculture that includes discussions on climate change.

He said farmers, fishers and other food producers can no longer predict correctly the weather, therefore affecting their production until delivery to the market.

“We have to make adjustments, production programs must also be good for the environment,” Serrano said.

It was found out that the agriculture sector lost almost 30 percent of income because of unpredictable weather and other disturbances.

Floods, landslides, long summer and long rainy season are the effects of global warming due to the thinning of the ozone layer which in effect melted the polar ice.

The Visayas Wide Consultative Workshop was a preliminary event that culminates the holding of the Food Summit in April 4.

Consultations were also being done in other regions.  — Ferliza C. Contratista/LPM