Buying various kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables, rice, and other agricultural products will be easier for Bacolod City residents in the midst of community quarantine as the Negrense: KADIWA ni Ani at Kita kicked off April 1, 2020.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) of Negros Occidental are partnering with Eco-Agri Foundation and different delivery companies for this marketing initiative.
Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita markets will be established at the Organic Trading Post near the Provincial Capitol, and at May’s Garden in Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City.
“Farmers produce in Kadiwa will be featured in the GRAB App for consumers to choose and buy from,” said DA Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter.
Aside from GRAB, consumers can also use other delivery options such as the Maid in Bacolod, Tapao.ph Delivery, Juan Ride, and Tinderoo.
“We expect this mode of marketing will help our local farmers sell their produce and for the community under quarantine can still buy fresh farm produce,” she added.
DA Western Visayas will facilitate the delivery of surplus products from other provinces; and will likewise issue Food Lane Vehicle Pass and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Identification (ID) cards to partner riders.
The department assigned as team leader for Negros Occidental Engr. Jose Albert Barrogo who had discussed plans and strategies with Provincial Agriculturist Atty. Japhet Masculino, Agri-Eco Foundation, and delivery partners in a meeting on March 30.
As agreed, OPA will provide staff to manage the KADIWA operations, and establish system on financial management and record keeping. They will also check and monitor the marketing price of agriculture produce on a daily basis.
Engr. Barrogo said, “it will be the Agri-Eco Foundation who will consolidate products from the farmers and will see to it that the products are safe and of high quality. Farmers will be paid in cash right away.”
The five delivery partners will order products to KADIWA using their respective online applications. Then, the KADIWA personnel will immediately prepare the orders placed before the arrival of the rider/delivery partner in the KADIWA market.
“Before the riders deliver the products to customers, they have to settle the payment first to KADIWA personnel,” Engr. Barrogo added.
Consumers can order agricultural produce from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Walk-in buyers are also welcomed in KADIWA markets provided that they observe protocols to prevent COVID-19 spread.
KADIWA ni Ani at Kita is being rolled out across the country which directly links the farmers and fisherfolk to the consumers. (Sheila Mae H. Toreno/DA/RAFIS-6)
