Lantapan, Bukidnon – Four vegetable-producing towns of Bukidnon located near the watershed areas of two mountain ranges have pledged to embrace a well-planned market-oriented agriculture which will give premium to environmental protection for sustainability.
In a forum organized by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Mayor Ernie Deviber of Lantapan, Mayor Vergito Factura of Talakag, Mayor Jose Antonio Villo of Sumilao and Mayor Anthony Uy of Impasugong all agreed to the crafting of a Master Plan for Agricultural Development and Environmental Protection.
The four towns are in high elevation areas near the Kitanglad and Kalatungan Mountain Ranges of Bukidnon where the headwaters of major river systems in Mindanao are located.
They also welcomed the proposal of MinDA for a market-oriented agriculture where production will be guided by the demands and requirements of the market.
The four towns belong to the so-called IMTASULA Complex, for Impasugong, Talakag, Sumilao and Lantapan, organized in 2018 when I was Secretary of Agriculture.
During the meeting yesterday, MinDA also proposed the establishment of two Farmers’ Trading Posts – one to serve Sumilao and Impasugong and another to serve Lantapan and Talakag – where farmers could deliver their products and also buy farm inputs.
An initial funding of P200,000 was pledged by MinDA for the Geo-Mapping of the four towns to identify critical watershed areas to be protected, rivers and streams as sources of water, production areas and proposed access roads.
The Geo-Mapping will be conducted by in-house technical staff of the MinDA, most of whom came from the Department of Agriculture.
The Geo-Mapping will start first week of July and the first output will be presented to the IMTASULA Council by the second week of July.
The draft Master Plan is expected to be completed by the end of July and will be presented to MinDA’s funding partners and line agencies.
During the forum yesterday, all the four town mayors received hundreds of Dao (Dracontomelon dao (Blanco) Merr. Family Name: Anacardiaceae) seedlings personally donated by the MinDA Chairman.
At the closing of the half-day forum, I exhorted the mayors and the farmer leaders present to plant the Dao seedlings and nurture them to become the symbol of our commitment to promote a well-balanced agriculture which aims to produce sufficient food and safeguard the environment for the next generation, as well.
(Photos of the MinDA IMTASULA Forum were taken by Mayette Tudlas and the MinDA Beauty & Bounty Media Team.)
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