The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) has turned over post-harvest equipment and supplies under the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita program of the agency amounting to almost PHP500,000 to three farmer associations in Cebu.

These farmer associations are the Cobcawa Multipurpose Cooperative of the mountain barangay of Adlaon in Cebu City; Bukid Multipurpose Cooperative of Sunog, Balamban, western Cebu; and Salamanca Farmers Association of Ginatilan, southern Cebu.

During the simple turnover of equipment on Wednesday, lawyer Salvador Diputado, DA-7 regional executive director, urged the associations to continue tending to their farms in order to produce more agricultural products.

He emphasized that farmers play a big role during the ongoing pandemic and are also considered front-liners in this crisis.

“In these very delicate times, we will continue to work for everyone. If we have health front-liners, you our farmers and fishers are also our primary food front-liners,” Diputado said.

He said the people “must be afraid that we have no food to eat” rather than being afraid of the pandemic. “And I hope that these interventions under our Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita will inspire you more to produce and sell your products to the markets.”

He also shared that in 2020, one of the biggest achievements of DA was the Food Accessibility Program through Kadiwa as it ensures the availability of food in the locality.

“A lot of consumers have benefitted from the Kadiwa on Wheels here in our region. It is our pride that our Kadiwa has big sales,” he said in Cebuano.

Diputado reiterated his call for a continued and stronger alliance between the farmers and the local government units for a sustained food supply. (PNA)