COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council (BRAFC) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform hosted the 2024 Mindanao AFC Stakeholders Conference.
On October 1-4, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) spearheaded the four-day activity together with the RAFC offices from CARAGA, SOCCSKSARGEN, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Zamboanga and BARMM.
The aim is to serve as a venue for the AFCs to discuss relevant agri-fishery issues and concerns common to the cluster regions, come up with the best possible recommendations, updates the AFC leaders on relevant agriculture and fishery programs/projects, policies, directives, and other development initiatives.
Minister Mohammad S. Yacob, Ph.D., opening statement, welcomed the participants and emphasized the message of His Excellency President Ferdinand “Bong-Bong” Marcos a strong BARMM is a strong Mindanao. A strong Mindanao is a strong Philippines.
He said this conference is important an opportunity to work together and create a bright future for our farmers and fisherfolk in the country
“This event is aiming to boost Mindanao food security and empowering AFCs through innovation, market competitiveness, and climate resilience for sustainable productivity,” he added.
He also said “We must help our farmers and fisherfolk. As the Minister of MAFAR, I want to assure you that we are fully committed to supporting our agricultural and fishery sectors.
Meanwhile, Honorable Mayor Bruce Matabalao was represented by Atty. Nes Lidasan said “This event stands as a testament to our collective commitment to advancing agricultural and fishery sectors in the BARMM, which are vital to the livelihood of our communities and the sustainability of our resources.
In Cotabato City, we recognized a critical role that our agricultural and fisheries play not only in ensuring food security but also in fostering economic growth and resilience among our people, he added.
He said this conference provides us with a unique platform to share knowledge, exchange best practices and forge partnerships that can drive meaningful changes.
“Together we will work towards enhancing productivity, improving our access to markets
and promoting sustainable practices and protecting our natural resources, not only for this generation but more importantly for future generations,” he stressed.
During the conference proper, the topics discussed were Climate Change- Its Impacts on Agriculture, Executive Order No. 62: Modifying the nomenclature and rates of Import duty in various products followed by a series of workshops and presentations.
Moreover, PCAF OIC- Executive Director, Julieta E. Opulencia congratulated the active participation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council and lauded their resolutions and recommendations.
