DA WV celebrates farmers, fishers month through KADIWA community pantry

Celebrating the month of our agri heroes, the Department of Agriculture (DA)Western Visayas put up the KADIWA Mobile Community Pantry at Brgy. Tanza Baybay, City Proper, Iloilo City on May 10, 2021.

Nearly 400 residents lined up and received fresh farm products from farmers of Leon, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Pototan, Barotac Viejo and Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC), Iloilo Rice Processing Center, Guimaras Research Stations and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) also shared commodities for the mobile community pantry.

DA WV Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter lauded the farmers for sharing their harvest with the struggling communities in the city area amid pandemic.

“Ang subong nga kahiwatan, ang community pantry sang Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita diri sa Iloilo City, isa man sa pagbuylog sa atun pagselebrar sang Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Month. Ini ang pasalamat man sa atun nga mga frontliners in terms of securing food security sa atun pungsod Pilipinas. Laban man sang mga diri [commodities] ang donations man sang atun mga farmers kag fisherfolks. Tani kita ang mag link sa ila [to markets] pero sila pa ang naghatag sang donasyon para lamang makabulig sa mga area diri sa syudad nga nagakinahanglan. Madamu ang nadulaan sang trabaho, nagsara ang ila mga ulobrahan, gani ang problema ang ila pang adlaw-adlaw nga kinahanglanon, hilabi na sa pagkaon. Kabay nga in inga community pantry, sa bisan isa lang nga meal ang makabulig sa ila pagkaon,” Recoter said.

Community pantries exemplify the Filipino Bayanihan spirit during this challenging time of COVID-19. For DA WV, farmers and fisherfolk are considered ‘true heroes’ since the beginning of civilization and even now, the pandemic threatens all.

Jessica Esmao, BFAR Post Harvest and Marketing Section Head enthusiastically shared how BFAR employees came together to donate some commodities for the residents of Tanza Baybay. “Sa community pantry, ang ginhimo namun sa BFAR, nagcontribute ang mga employees halin sa kabubut-on nila because they believe in volunteerism. Aside from that, we harvested tilapia from our farm. Nagbakal man kami sang bugas kay kinahanglan gid sya ya sang mga tawo” Esmao said.

More than 200 kilos of farm products were set up for the pantry that includes squash, banana, calamansi, string beans, papaya, sweet potato, jackfruits, lemon grass, mungbean, cucumber, hot pepper, sponge gourd (patola), camote and spinanch tops, saluyot, lady finger (okra).

Beneficiaries also received more than 100 pieces of native eggs and three large tubs of tilapia, canned sardines and noodles from the donors. This year’s celebration is themed “May pandemya man o wala, Magsasaka’t Mangingisda Maaasahan ng bansa.” (MCMBuala/ Photos by JDeGuzman/DA- RAFIS6)