“Our raison d’être is to serve you yesterday, today, and for the years and decades to come.”
This was the message of Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Agnes Catherine Miranda to the country’s farmers and fisherfolk during the closing ceremony of the 2023 National Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month (NFFM).
Undersecretary Miranda, who is also this year’s NFFM Chairperson, added that the long history of the DA is defined by its continuing desire to raise the quality of life of farmers and fisherfolk.
“This is why we honor you again today, not only to express our gratitude, but also to affirm our commitment as your partners in development,” she said.
During the month-long celebration themed “Masaganang Agrikultura, Maunlad na Ekonomiya”, the DA organized various activities featuring major agricultural subsector such as halal and organic agriculture, crops, livestock, and fisheries each week.
Activities include weekly exhibits, free public webinars and technology demonstrations highlighting modern agri-fishery practices and products, cooking demonstrations, and distribution of seeds and seedlings, among others.
“Our aggressive push to put each of these subsectors in the limelight is driven by our belief that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that prosperity in the Philippine agriculture and fisheries can only be meaningful if growth is inclusive of all major subsectors whether it be for crops, livestock, or fisheries,” Undersecretary Miranda said.
This month, the DA officials led by Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban also awarded plaques of recognition to the outstanding farmers and fisherfolk who are active partners of the DA in the implementation of its various programs for the sector’s sustainable development.
“As we conclude the National Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month, we do not cease to pay tribute to our farmers and fisherfolk,” Undersecretary Miranda stressed.
She added that the annual celebration is not a token gesture but a constant reminder of the farmers’ and fisherfolk’s vital role in nation-building.
“Moreover, it is a time for reflection that our obligations as public servants to our farmers and fisherfolk are far from over,” she said. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)
