COTABATO CITY—Industry stakeholders engaged in aquaculture and post-harvest activity in BARMM convened the 1st Bangsamoro Congress on Tilapia and Seaweed Aquaculture on Wednesday, Dec. 1, in this city.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) led the event which aimed to highlight the achievements and notable results, technical issues that affect the production and distribution, prospects in aquaculture farming, post-harvest and marketing, possible integration of seaweeds sectors and market-matching.
MAFAR Minister Mohammad Yacob reiterated to the participants that the main vision of the said activity is to “enhance aquaculture potentials in the Bangsamoro region.”
“I am hoping that we will meet the objective of this congress to enhance aquaculture industry in the region, especially in the island provinces to bring the lives of our fisherfolks better in the coming years,” Yacob said.
Meanwhile, MAFAR Director General for Fisheries Pendatun Patarasa discussed the concept of “blue economy” for food security by improving the lives of Bangsamoro inclusively through marine life conservation and protection of coastal communities.
“Despite of our region’s potentials in its vastness and richness in aquaculture and being the number one producer of seaweeds and number five producer of tilapia nationwide, still we need a lot to do in order to enhance our technical know-how to develop our salt and fresh water resources into a more productive one, just like doing this aquaculture congress,” Patarasa said.
Among the resource speakers during the congress were: Dr. Ramjie Y. Odin, MSU-Maguindanao vice-chancellor for research, extension and development; Demosthenes F. Togonon, national coordinator for seaweed development program of Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources (BFAR); Zabidi S. Badrudin, production head of Mindanao Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center (BFAR); Dr. Tong D. Pinguiaman, MAFAR chief of Agribusiness and Marketing Division; Dr. Joseph Christopher C. Rayos, chief science research specialist of National Fisheries Research & Development Institute (DA); and Esmael W. Ibrahim, director general of Ministry of Human Settlements & Development (MHSD). (Bangsamoro Information Office)
