LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- The Provincial Board passed a resolution on July 3 endorsing the corn and cassava road map of Pangasinan for 2017 to 2022 to serve as guide for the next five years in the production of these two commodities.
Board Member Liberator Villegas said the measure is in line with the priority thrusts of the Provincial Government to increase and sustain the productivity and quality output and profitability of corn and cassava farmers to strongly support the food security and self-sufficiency program of the National Government.
The road map was jointly formulated by the Department of Agriculture and the Provincial Government through the Provincial Agriculture Office, in collaboration with municipal and city agriculture officers, corn and cassava farmers, and other stakeholders.
Villegas said the road map has identified major interventions to be undertaken to sustain the production of corn and cassava.
These include production support, post-harvest facility needs and extension support services in order to enhance the technical capability of corn and cassava farmers for global competitiveness and sustainable development of their industry.
Villegas said these collective efforts are necessary to orchestrate a comprehensive partnership among corn and cassava program stakeholders of Pangasinan, the sharing of human and agricultural resources for an effective and efficient implementation of productivity programs and projects to further develop the province's capacity as one of the leading corn and cassava producers in the country.
Meanwhile, Dalisay Moya, provincial agriculturist, said Pangasinan received the national quality corn achievement award for 2015. In 2012 and 2013, the province was awarded P3 million by the Department of Agriculture.
She said many farmers in Pangasinan are planting cassava not only for food but also as chief ingredient for animal feeds.
The road map, said Moya, not only provides the thrusts of the Provincial Government in the planting of both corn and cassava for five years but also tells where Pangasinan is now as far as these agricultural crops are concerned. (PNA)