Pangasinan board okays corn, cassava road map

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/998578
• Monday, July 3, 2017 2:24 pm

(LVM/PNA)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 3 -- The provincial board passed a resolution Monday morning endorsing the corn and cassava road map of Pangasinan for the period 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 its 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 of Pangasinan through the latter's Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) in collaboration with municipal and city agriculture officers, corn and cassava farmers and other stakeholders.

Villegas said the Corn and Cassava Road Map has identified major interventions to be undertaken to sustain the production of these two agricultural commodities.

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 the corn and cassava industry.

These collective efforts are necessary, he said, in order to orchestrate a comprehensive partnership among corn and cassava program stakeholders of the province, 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 and in 2012 and 2113, of which the province was awarded PHP3 million for each award 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 Corn and Cassava 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 the province is now as far as these agricultural crops are concerned.