THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will be having a week-long celebration of the World Food Day on October 16 to 20 in Cagayan de Oro City with the theme "Change the Future of Migration, Invest in Food Security and Rural Development."
Joanne Olson, DA information officer, said the celebration aims to underscore the problems of food security and malnutrition.
"Kung i-anchor nato sa theme nato (If we anchor it to our theme), its more on you have to invest in world development para dili ma-force ang other people (so that other people will not be forced) to migrate. For
example if walay kaayuhan diri (if there's no improvement in the city), diba you'll be forced to migrate? Ang amoang gusto mahitabo (What we would like happen is), there should be like mechanisms that will entice them or lure them to really stay at the area gyud nila since its thriving, prosperous, out from the investments sa agriculture," Olson said.
She said the week-long event also aims to link farmers and consumers and to encourage other people to visit Northern Mindanao because of its locally made products.
"We also get to highlight ang mga (the) farming technologies for which na maoy rason nga namugna to nga mga products (the products were made)," Olson said, adding that the farming technologies were from the generated results from the research and development of the DA Research Stations.
On Monday, October 16, the DA will be having a presentation anchored on the theme and a tiangge and zumba at the DA Compound in A. Luna Street, Barangay 27, Cagayan de Oro City.
The Tiangge, Olson said, will be participated by the local government unit of Misamis Oriental, City Government of Cagayan de Oro (CDO), local government unit of Misamis Occidental, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Northern Mindanao, DA-Stations, Garbo CDO, Nagkahiusang Mag-uumang Umagosnon, NM Foods, Mirayaon Talakag Highland Farmers Association, Upper Puerto Farmers Association, Nas Agricom, and Highland Fresh Dairy-Northern Mindanao Federation of Dairy Cooperatives.
On the same day, DA will also have a product display, which will be participated by DA's attached agencies such as the National Dairy Authority, Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, and the National Food Authority; a photo exhibit, which is also participated by DA and its attached agencies; and an Agritrivia show. These activities will be held at Limketkai Mall's event center, in Limketkai, Cagayan de Oro City.
Olson said the photo exhibit will highlight the programs, projects and the interventions under DA.
The Agritrivia Show, Olson said, will be conducted on October 16, participated by elementary students, and on October 17, which will be participated by high school students.
On October 18, also in Limektkai event center, the BFAR will conduct a poster making contest in line with their celebration of the Fish Conservation Week, with the theme: "Industriya ng Pangisdaan ay Masigla kung ang Karagatan ay Malinis at Masagana," with students taking part of the said contest.
On the following day, the National Meat Inspection and Service, which is also one of the attached agencies of DA, will be having a seminar in observance to Meat Safety Consciousness Week. The seminar will be anchored to its theme: "Mula Katayan hanggang sa Tahanan, Malinis na Karne and Laan."
October 20 will be the final day of the photo exhibit and the product display.