The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 has committed assistance to the local government of Solana in Cagayan for the issuance of appropriate tenurial instrument for the establishment of a one-hectare Agricultural Trading Center (ATC).

 

The P14 million ATC project aims to empower the farmers and fisherfolk to improve their yield and increase their participation in the agricultural supply chain. Through the trading center, they can directly sell their products and gain higher income.

 

To commence the project, a Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was recently signed by DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan, DA Regional Executive Director Narciso Edillo and Mayor Jenalyn Carag.

 

Director Bambalan expressed her support to the agriculture department for the noble project that would uplift the economic condition of farmers and fisherfolk.

 

“This project will benefit both the lowland and upland farmers like our beneficiaries in National Greening Program and Community-Based Forest Management areas. We are happy that an access for their products to trade will soon be operationalized,” she said.

 

She added that while the government is in support of agricultural industry, there should also be an effort to continue planting of forest trees as these protect watershed areas from denudation and soil erosion.

 

“I would like to make a plea that our remaining forestlands must not be abused with the existence of the project. Let these be set aside for solely forest tree plantation areas. We should protect our forests to improve the yield of our farmers,” she emphasized.

 

In his message, Director Edillo said the trading center will not only cater the municipality of Solana but also the nearby towns.

 

The municipality of Solana was chosen to be the recipient of the project because of strong

economic opportunities in vegetable farming and in the production of other high value crops.

 

Mayor Carag thanked the DENR and DA for entrusting the project in her municipality. “This would be a great help for our small farmers planting high value crops and other products,” she said.

 

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Ismael Manaligod also committed to assist the DA and the local government in the development of a reforestation area within the trading center.

 

The virtual MOA signing was witnessed by Licenses, Patents and Deeds Division Chief Eliseo Mabasa, Solana CENR Officer Andres Guiquing, and DA Regional Technical Director Roberto Busania.#