The Department of Agriculture (DA) 8 (Eastern Visayas) here, in partnership with local government units, is rolling out 26 Kadiwa stores this month to make affordable agricultural products more accessible to Eastern Visayas residents.

The initiative, which is part of the Farmers and Fisherfolk’s Month celebration, will set up Kadiwa stores in malls and public markets in the six provinces of the region, said DA-8 assistant director for operations Larry Sultan.

“There are strategic areas identified in collaboration with local government units. We take into consideration the accessibility of producers and consumers,” Sultan told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday.

Local farmers’ organizations have been tapped to participate and eventually earn more.

Kadiwa stands for “Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa para sa Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita,” a marketing strategy of the DA that directly connects food producers to consumers, making products less costly.

It is implemented through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance, which seeks to empower the farming community by providing a direct and effective farm-to-consumer food supply chain.

Sultan said the model eliminates many marketing layers, allowing producers to earn bigger from directly selling their produce instead of using trader-intermediaries. It reduces marketing expenses, thus making fresh and quality products more affordable for consumers.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier announced that the Kadiwa should be established in more areas to help consumers buy basic necessities, such as food products, at lower prices compared to those sold at regular markets and stores.

The DA officially opened the 2023 Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month (FFM) nationwide on May 2, anchored on the theme “Masaganang Agrikultura, Maunlad na Ekonomiya.”

The theme represents the thrust of the agriculture department that a key foundation of a vibrant competitive economy is through a productive agri-fishery sector. (PNA)