The Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA), joins the nation in celebrating the Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness (CCC) Week with its opening ceremony on November 19, 2024.
“As we gather to kick off the 17th Annual Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week, we are reminded once more of the urgent call for decisive climate action. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has underscored the importance of addressing climate change impacts across all sectors, with a special emphasis on agriculture, where food security, community resilience, and environmental stewardship intersect,” Undersecretary for Operations Roger V. Navarro said.
In his keynote message, Usec. Navarro stressed that the Department, through the leadership of Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. is pushing for regenerative agriculture and rejuvenation of soils toward building a stronger, climate-resilient future for the country.
Under the overarching theme “Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Bansang Matatag”, the 17th CCC Week highlights DA-AMIA’s sub-theme, “Aksyon at Adaptasyon ng Makabagong Henerasyon”, emphasizing the need for innovative, forward-thinking solutions to address climate change.
“For us in the DA, this means strengthening the foundation of progressive and resilient communities that we have begun through our various climate resiliency-building initiatives under the AMIA Program and other DA programs,” Usec. Navarro said.
“As such, let us work together with a renewed sense of purpose–embracing climate action not only as an afterthought but as an integral part of every program and service that we deliver at the Department,” he added.
As a highlight of the event, DA-AMIA set up a photo exhibit showcasing inspiring stories from AMIA villages and CREATEs (Climate Resilient Agriculture Technologies) that have adopted climate-resilient agricultural practices.
The DA-Regional Field Office (RFO) 12 AMIA Program Team emerged as the big winner of the DA-AMIA Communication Photo Contest with its entry “Increased Productivity, Increased Adaptive Capacity,” which highlighted the Riverside Farmers Association in Tulunan, Cotabato Province AMIA Village. DA-RFO 5 “Bicolana: Angat at Sagana”, DA-RFO 9 “Eggs-traordinary Love in an Eggs-traordinary Farm”, and DA-RFO 3 “Mga Bagong Teknik sa Pagsasaka, Mayabong na Ampalaya ang Bunga” were runners-up.
These visual stories reflect the resilience and determination of Filipino farmers in adapting to the changing climate.
Pursuant with Presidential Proclamation No. 1667, series of 2008, CCC Week is observed annually from November 19 to 25, aiming to raise awareness about global warming and its wide-ranging impacts, particularly on the agriculture sector. ### (Kristel Joyce Merle, DA-AFID)
