Agri-Fishery Dev’t Zones in brangays

The hinterland barangays of Candijay, Guindulman, Duero, Sierra Bullones, Jagna, Pilar and Alicia are eyed to become farm tourism areas providing livelihood opportunities for the community.
This, once the proposed ordinance of the Committee on Agriculture chaired by Board Member Ricky Masamayor will be approved.
Dr. Larry M. Pamugas, officer-in-charge, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) said that there is a proposed ordinance establishing barangays Luan, Tambongan, Abihilan and Cadapdapan of Candijay; Can-upao, Jagna; Bayong and Biabas, Guindulman; Taytay of Duero; Cantaub of Sierra-Bullones; Lundag, Inaghuban, San Vicente and Cansungay of Pilar; Katipunan and Sudlon of Alicia as Strategic Agri-Fishery Development Zones (ZAFDZ) providing for its guidelines and appropriation funds thereof.
Pamugas said the ordinance cited that those additional potential areas for agriculture and fishery production that could increase the overall output of agriculture and fishery products and they are topographically and geographically viable for farm tourism that would provide livelihood opportunities for the community.
Furthermore, these barangays are partly ancestral domains inhabited by tribal groups who are part of the Boholano heritage and considering that agriculture is their primary source of livelihood, the establishment of these development zones will empower them as a community while contributing to the attainment of food security and preservation of Boholano culture and heritage.
Pamugas and BM Masamayor are hopeful that the proposed ordinance be approved as cited in the whereases, that based on Section 2 of Republic Act 8435, known as the “Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997” provides that it is the declared policy of the State to enable those who belong to the agriculture and fisheries sectors to participate and share in the fruits of development and growth in a manner that utilizes the nations resources in the most efficient and sustainable way possible by establishing a more equitable access to assets, income, basic and support services and infrastructure.
The state shall adopt the market approached in assisting the agriculture and fisheries sectors while recognizing the contributions of the said sector to food security, environmental protection, and balanced urban and rural development without neglecting the welfare of the consumers, especially the lower income groups. The state shall promote market-oriented policies in agricultural production to encourage farmers to shift to more profitable crops.
It is also the policy of the State to ensure that all sectors of the economy and all regions of the country shall be given optimum opportunity to develop through the rational and sustainable use of resources peculiar to each area in order to maximize agricultural productivity, promote efficiency and equity and accelerate the modernization of the agriculture and fisheries sectors of the country.
The establishment of agriculture and Fishery Development Zones in the province of Bohol will provide means for effective development of strategic areas with the greatest potential for agriculture and fishery production, maximizing its ability to produce more thereby ensuring sustainability and food security for all Boholanos, according to the proposed ordinance.
In the establishment of the SAFDZ, the Strategic Agriculture and Fishery Development Zone Council (SAFDZC) is hereby created chaired by the provincial governor; chairperson, SP Committee on Agriculture as vice-chairperson and members; Governor’s Office – Bohol Tourism Office, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, President, League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Bohol, Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants, Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Representative – Eskaya Tribe, and Bohol Investment Promotion Center.
The council has the following functions such as conduct an inventory of the proposed area to determine suitability of such as an agriculture and fishery development zone through the Technical Working Group; Validate the inventory conducted by the TWG prior to approval; approve the establishment of development zones recommended by the Technical Working Group; Endorse/ recommend programs and projects for the development zones to appropriate funding agencies for funding support; oversee the overall development of established agriculture and fishery development zones; decide all other matters pertaining to the Strategic Agriculture and Fishery Development Zones.
In the production aspect, Pamugas said that OPA shall coordinate with the Department of Agriculture, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Local Government Units and other partner stakeholders to identify the best-auited crop including fishery products suitable for the respective identified areas for agriculture and fishery within the SAFDZ. (Atoy Cosap)