COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council (BRAFC) joined the 16th Mindanao Agriculture Fishery Council (AFC) congress today, November 10, 2021 via Zoom teleconference.
The purpose of conducting the event includes the provision of information sharing platforms for the AFCs in the Mindanao Regions for a meaningful collaboration on AFC development in their areas; and discussion of agri-fishery issues and concerns and collaboratively decide on the best possible recommendations, among others.
Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council of Region 9, 10, 11, 12 and BARMM were among the participants in the event with the theme: “Strengthened AFC Partnerships: A Pathway in Pursuing Sustainable, Progressive and Resilient Mindanao Agriculture and Fishery Development”.
In her welcome statement, Philippine Council on Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) OIC-Deputy Executive Director Julieta Opulencia said, “I hope we could collaborate with each other in the regions to determine issues and concerns that we encountered for the past year and come up with the possible recommendations or suggestions in resolving it.”
The highlights of the congress were the discussions on the national, regional, provincial, municipal, and barangay Mandanas Ruling-Implications to agriculture.
Director Bernadette San Juan of DA-field operations emphasized, “the 40%-60% local and national tax collection sharing still applies in Mandanas Ruling in which there is no major changes in terms of the implementation of certain local programs or services, including agriculture and fisheries sectors”.
“Only the increase of tax collection shares of local government units (LGUs) in the Mandanas Ruling may occur with high hope that they [LGUs] may increase their effectiveness in the implementation of projects in their localities”, she added.
Accordingly, grouping together of the crops, livestock and/or fish producers within a community or adjacent communities on the basis of proximity of their production areas, similarity of inputs, shared production activities or common final products could be a potential for unified management of production activities, source of inputs, access to financing, processing, logistics, storage, marketing and enhanced quality of produce.
Mr. Ducusin, however, presented the Agriculture Financing Program and he explained the financing process, lending scheme, and opportunities in the Agriculture Credit Policy Council (ACPC) to avail of the financing capital in agri-business ventures, especially during this time of Covid-19 pandemic.
Youths, former overseas workers, and farmers, which are enthusiast in agri-business could easily avail of the financing services of the ACPC from Php25,000.00 to Php15-M worth of loan, with no collateral, Zero (0) to less interest and payable for 5 up to 10 years,”
Ducusin said.
For added information about ACPC’s financing services, visit http://acpcaccess.ph/ for the application form and necessary requirements to avail of the loan.
Meanwhile, during the congress, BRAFC proposed lists of action plan to address issues and concerns in the region. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
