Thursday, April 25, 2024

DA-10 awards YFC Upscale regional winners

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – After the business pitching and thorough evaluation of the entries for the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) Upscale, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10, through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division, declared the top three winners for Northern Mindanao

These include Erbyl Kent C. Pelongco from Valencia City, Bukidnon with his 7K’s Food Products agri-enterprise which focuses on banana chips processing; Maydene V. Demesana from CdeO City with her diversified farm producing various high-valued vegetables; and Johnny Ray G. Salinana from Kadingilan, Bukidnon with his agri-enterprise called Bahalinana which processes coconut vinegar, among others.

Each winner will receive a P300K grant which will be used for their respective businesses’ expansion and enhancement.

Pelongco, who garnered the highest score with an average of 96.07% and will represent Region 10 in the National YFC Upscale, is grateful for the result of the challenge.

“I am very thankful for this grant because we are planning to do major renovations in our processing area for us to be accredited by the Food and Drugs Administration. When that happens, more opportunities will surely open for 7K’s Food Products, more job opportunities for our community.” Pelongco said.

Meanwhile, DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado congratulated the winners of the challenge and thanked them for grabbing the opportunity for the improvement of their ventures.

“You are lucky that nowadays, grants like this are offered by DA. You just need to have the determination, passion, and patience to face all the challenges for your business to be successful. I hope that with the grant given, this will help you in your respective ventures,” Dir. Collado added.

YFC Upscale is a head-to-head competition of the previous YFC awardees from 2021-2022, which aims to improve and expand their current business operations, including upgrading equipment and assets, creating new product lines, and improving marketing efforts, among others.

DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga, Department of Trade and Industry – 10 Supervising Trade and Development Specialist Loraine C. Brillantes, and Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council – 10 Chairperson Nilda B. Salas served as the judges during the Business Pitching. (DA RFO-10)

Agri-10 extends mentoring assistance to 2023 Young Farmers Challenge Upscale applicants

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) conducted its mentoring and coaching for applicants of the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) 2023 Upscale Competition on September 13 to 15

Facilitated by the division’s Agribusiness Promotion Section, two agri-fishery enterprises from barangays San Simon and Pagatpat in CdeO City, and three from the municipalities of Impasugong, Kadingilan, and Valencia City in Bukidnon, received mentorship on enterprise implementation and the optimization of resources in response to growing market demands.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that through the mentoring assistance, the Department works closely with agri-fishery enterprises to build on their existing goals and objectives, and innovate their products and services, aligned with the rationale of the program.

Said enterprises also received suggestions on the necessary refinements to their business plan and pitch deck before the YFC competition proper slated later this year.

The YFC-Upscale Program is an initiative of DA for previous YFC awardees which aims to upscale the operations of their existing agri-fishery enterprise, invest in new technology for product development, and generate employment through the provision of additional capital in the form of competitive financial grant assistance. (DA RFO-10)

DA-10 Agribiz Div convenes with FOPA NorMin for market linkages

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Aiming to strengthen the partnership with local producers in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) helmed by Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), meets with the Food Processors’ Association of Northern Mindanao (FOPA NorMin) to discuss potential local and national market linkages for its members

On May 15, 2023, AMAD led by its chief, Larry E. Paraluman, delivered the various interventions that DA-10 can offer, ranging from market information, market linkage and products promotion, agribusiness promotion and development services, especially for the agri-based processed products that FOPA members produce.

FOPA NorMin officers who joined the meeting were President Craig Mari Padla of De Oro’s Best, Vice-President Ana Marie Viscayno of Sivako Foods, Secretary May Jacobo of May’s Golden Pies, Treasurer Agnes Gonzales of SG Ventures, Inc., and Nenita Tan of Bestfiend Goodies.

Recognizing areas for support, the AMAD has committed to assist the said association towards communication and partnership with farmers across Region 10.

Said efforts also aim to maximize the use of the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development Information System (FFEDIS) for convenient market linkages, not only in Northern Mindanao but reaching the island region of Mindanao and the whole of the Philippines. (RLTolentino/DA RFO-10)

DA to strengthen halal industry in NorMin

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10), under the helm of DA-10 OIC Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, welcomed DA Undersecretary for Special Concerns and for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Engr. Zamzamin L. Ampatuan, during his visit on March 10, 2023 at the agency compound

The DA-10 Regional Agricultural and Engineering Division (RAED), Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), and the Livestock Program convened with the DA official to discuss halal production and its market demand in Northern Mindanao.
Recognizing the growing population of Muslims and their demand for halal-certified products, DA USec Ampatuan underscored that halal production should be vigorously pursued in the region, as it plays a major role in improving food safety and quality, as well as in providing employment opportunities for communities locally.

The undersecretary added that it will also help promote cultural awareness and understanding between different religious groups.
To meet said demand, DA-10 assures to strengthen its production of beef, goat, and chicken, as these are among the most popular types of halal meat. Of which, priority for production are those high-density cities in NorMin, where Halal sections in different markets are eyed to be established.

Overall, to strengthen the Halal industry, the body looks forward to the construction of a village-type Halal slaughterhouse to be designed by RAED; the establishment of a Halal multiplier farm courtesy of the Livestock program; and the continued conduct of a series of Halal production workshops to be spearheaded by AMAD. # (RDMElloren/DA RFO-10)

Agri dept 10 links Bukidnon onion farmer to Cebu market

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To meet the market’s increasing demand for red onions, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) under the helm of OIC–Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado administered the market linkage and sale of ‘Red Pinoy’ onions to SariSuki Cebu on January 27, 2023

With help from DA’s recently turned over delivery truck to the local government of Sumilao, Bukidnon dubbed as the ‘Kadiwa on Wheels’, Joseph G. Aguilar, an onion farmer from barangay Kisolon, was able to transport 1 ton of his produce overall costing to P200K (at P200 per kilo) to the CdeO City port, which was later on shipped to Cebu.

On such initiative, RED Collado said that the agency through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) vigorously pursues the facilitation of linkages of farmers and fisherfolk enterprises (FFEs) and other agri-based MSMEs with consumer markets and institutional buyers.

Through DA’s Kadiwa displays, individuals, especially those farmers’ cooperatives, and associations (FCAs) may sell their harvest at competitive prices with an assured link to a market; thereby, ensuring the quality and freshness of their agricultural produce.

The said shipment was also assisted by the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry-Plant Quarantine Service Cagayan de Oro through its OIC-Manager, Arnold S. Dela Cruz.

Ahead of Aguilar’s Cebu market, he has also sold 1,488 kilos of red onions amounting to P431,781 to Gaisano Mall Malaybalay City on January 20. (MPMTablon/DA-10)

LGU Sumilao gets P2-M Kadiwa grant from DA-10

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To ensure the availability and accessibility of food commodities, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) handed over the certificate of turnover of the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Financial Grant Assistance worth P2 million to the local government unit (LGU) of Sumilao, Bukidnon, at the agency compound

Said amount forms part of the total project cost amounting to P2.5-M, wherein DA-10 granted 80% of the portion and LGU Sumilao counterpart 20% amounting to P500K.

On January 27, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) Assistant Division chief Ferdinand F. Caraballe, led the turnover of the procured cargo transport delivery truck from the overall project amount to LGU Sumilao municipal agriculturist Melchora G. Dumayao.

DA-10 OIC-Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said the program will make it possible for farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs), and organizations to take part in the convenient and sufficient food supply distribution system and assure the stability of food and other basic commodities in the region with high consumer demand.

In return, Dumayao expressed her gratitude to DA which enabled them to purchase a said truck that is for priority use for high-value crop farmers in the municipality, to assist them in the reduction of their transportation costs.

DA-10 seeks to empower local farmers by providing a direct and effective farm-to-consumer food supply chain in order to address the continuing demand for agri-fishery products, including in helping stabilize the price of red onions in the market. (MPMTablon/DA-10)