This news report actually makes me very happy, by Karl R Ocampo: “DA Expands Online Services[1]” (02 May 2020, Inquirer.net); here are the first 2 paragraphs, leader included:
Technology-driven platforms to steer movement of farm goods
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is expanding its services through online-driven platforms to address the new landscape for buying and selling agricultural products.
The agency has pushed new programs such as e-Agriculture and e-Kadiwa to bring farmers and fishers’ produce to more consumers as the new coronavirus pandemic has dragged down their income.
Mr Ocampo writes that Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie announced all that in the first of a series of SOLVE webinars sponsored by SEARCA, where SOLVE is acronym for SEARCA Online Learning & Virtual Engagements.
Manong Willie says the Department of Agriculture, DA’s, “movement and delivery of goods would now be steered by technology.” Thus, “The Kadiwa Express will use cloud and other information systems in tracking goods…. to monitor the produce while in transit and to determine where the blockade in transport (may be) happening.” By e-Kadiwa, consumers can order items online to be delivered by partners such as Grab.
Mr Dar said, “Price stability, price affordability, (are keys) to growing the economy. We need to promote digitalization of agriculture even in marketing.”
Glenn Gregorio, Director of SEARCA, sponsor of that webinar, said that “consumers now appreciate the connection between the quality of food on their table and agriculture.” Interesting how during this lockdown, this connection is now appreciated by the people looking via the digital distance! (cellphone image from Shopee[2])
To ensure quality of food produce, Mr Ocampo said, “The organization has also facilitated the distribution of high-quality seeds with the Bureau of Plant Industry, BPI.” BPI Assistant Director Glenn Panganiban said since the lockdown, “their office had been flooded with calls from people requesting seeds and inquiring about urban farming.”
“Urban farming” – the popular and accepted term; actually, “urban gardening” is the correct term.
You do not farm vegetable plots – you garden them. There is no vertical farming, only vertical gardening.
Manong Willie said the DA was considering 10 to 15% of Metro Manila for urban gardening. So far, the DA has partnered with Quezon City and Manila.
The DA had sought additional funding of P1 billion “to ease the public’s unfounded fears over food supply by opening more Kadiwa outlets in Metro Manila.”
And why is the DA into selling and delivering farm produce? Manong Willie said, ““The best way to sustain stable prices of basic farm and fishery commodities is to have a continuous and unhampered movement of goods from origin to the markets, [especially] in Metro Manila and other metropolises.”
As adjunct, I suggest the DA encourage and support the more advanced state colleges & universities in regions to go into digital agriculture, where farmers can choose topic and attend anytime via the now ubiquitous cellphone. Thus, with modern technology, for millions this becomes quite a reality:
A thing of beauty is a joy forever!@517
[1] https://business.inquirer.net/296289/da-expands-online-services?fbclid=IwAR26Aim7cnAEm5SD0ao0uuotRIT864otM82-AHMhZPvei1_ucsF9gqdVgGM
[2] https://shopee.ph/P30-Pro-Smart-Phones-6GB-128GB-Ultra-thin-Smartphone-Face-Fingerprint-Lock-Cellphone-i.165467748.2572727869
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