Baybay City, Leyte”•The Visayas Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Program in celebration of its 40th anniversary, held a three-day Farmers Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda featuring queen pineapple.
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Applied Communication Division Director Marita Carlos and top consortium officials led the opening on Thursday of the event at the open field of Visayas State University here.
The program included research and development symposium, technology forum, booth exhibition, the Kaugmaran dance festival, and pineapple cook fest as well as side activities like bartending competition and poster making contest.
While the Fiesta event officially began on Thursday, the symposium started a day earlier.
In his message relayed by Carlos, PCAARRD acting executive director Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora said: “With FIESTA, we wish to heighten the traditional agricultural farming priorities from merely achieving agricultural productivity to a flourishing agribusiness-driven environment.”
“FIESTA, therefore, is seen as a tool to increase the value of agribusiness outputs, thereby contributing to inclusive growth,” Ebora added.
PCAARRD takes great pride in partnering with ViCARP and with the experts of VSU “to boost the local queen pineapple industry,” he said.
PCAARRD and ViCARP are jointly implementing a program that aims to increase and stabilize the income of marginalized and subsistent queen pineapple farmers not only here in Eastern Visayas but also in the Bicol Region.
PCAARRD provided P31 million fund for research program enhancing productivity and marketability of queen pineapple.
VSU President Dr. Edgardo E. Tulin warmly welcomed participants that included consortium officers from the region, agriculture officers, farmers, university faculty members, and students.