The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the local governments of Bukidnon Province and four municipalities, with the support of the Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao, have jointly launched the first ever Mindanao Vegetable Derby aimed at boosting food production and the island’s economy.
Starting yesterday, technical team from MinDA, the local government units of Bukidnon and the towns of Impasugong, Talakag, Sumilao and Lantapan, supported by the DA, met with stakeholders in the vegetable producing village of Miarayon, Talakag to work on the details of the Mindanao Vegetable Derby.
The Vegetable Derby, scheduled to start last week of August and end first week of December, will showcase modern vegetable seeds and planting materials, along with technology in soil nutrition and irrigation.
It will be participated in by vegetable seeds companies, irrigation technology firms and producers of both organic and inorganic fertilizers and inputs.
All the participating companies will be asked to engage local farmers in a season-long demonstration activity which will end first week of December.
At the end of the season, vegetable experts will be asked to join a panel of judges who will choose the winners in different vegetable variety categories.
Among the salient aims of the activity are:
1. Increase agricultural productivity through modern technology;
2. Produce quality vegetables and high-value products which could compete in the local market and later in the Southeast ASEAN region;
3. Set Good Agricultural Practices standards to ensure that products coming from the area meet the health standards of the market.
At the end of the season-long activity, outstanding seeds for each of the vegetable categories will be cited while outstanding farmer-partners of each seed company will be awarded with trophies and valuables.
To link farmer-producers to the market, MinDA will invite market vendors associations and supermarket chains from the whole of Mindanao, including the nearby island provinces of Visayas, to join the culmination activity.
Vegetable farmers from smaller production areas of Mindanao will also be invited to the event to witness the best practices of the IMTASULA farmers which could be replicated in their farms.
The development of vegetable and high value crops production in IMTASULA is one of the projects proposed by MinDA to be included in the EU-Grant Fund for the Mindanao Peace and Development Program or RISE MINDANAO.
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!
(Photos of the signing of the MOA between Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri and MinDA Chairman Manny Piñol and the mayors were taken by the MinDA Media Team while photos of yesterday’s planning activity in Miarayon, Talakag were taken by Mayette Tudlas, OC MinDA.)
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