by Cherry Mhae Palicte/PNA
DAVAO CITY — The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) held the first ever Mindanao Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) cum TecnoCom Forum and Product Exhibition here on Friday, showcasing the mature technologies generated and developed by Research & Development (R&D) institutions.
Attended by delegates from six regions, the Congress aims to facilitate a particularly localized approach to involve more farmers, fisherfolk, and stakeholders in Mindanao in technology promotion and dissemination in agriculture and fisheries.
DA Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Francisco Villano said the Congress marks a telling point in DA’s concerted effort to strengthen the agriculture sector, not only in Mindanao but across the country in general.
“CPAR is invaluable in our initiatives to reach out to our target communities by providing relevant agri-related information to our farmers. This is the reason why we work tirelessly to assist you in increasing your productivity by providing the necessary services, facilities, and technologies,” Villano added.
Villano said the CPAR farmer-beneficiaries have recognized the necessity of these technologies in their operations, which eventually resulted in increased production and an increase in income.
“CPAR is vital in our bid to address poverty especially in the countryside where agriculture, the sector where we all belong, plays a vital role,” Villano said.
Meanwhile, Digna Sandoval, DA-BAR Assistant Director, reported that her agency supported 87 CPAR projects in Mindanao in 219 sites.
Sandoval said the projects have established 4,955 farmers all over the zone and have assisted 141 farmer organizations.
“CPAR serves as the entry point of National Technology Commercialization Program (NTCP) wherein it serves as on-farm technology demonstration and assessment arena for potentially suitable technologies for the communities,” Sandoval said.
The two-day congress included plenary presentations on marketing strategies; entrepreneurship and product packaging and labeling.
