NIA holds agri-trade fair to help farmers become ‘agripreneurs’

 NIA holds agri-trade fair to help farmers become ‘agripreneurs’

SANTA CRUZ, Laguna (PIA) – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Calabarzon underscored the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture sector as it recently held a KabayaNIAN agri-trade fair aimed at showcasing farmers’ products and become “agripreneurs” or agriculture entrepreneurs.

Now on its third year, the agri-trade fair themed “Magsasaka’y Aasenso, Kaya’t mag agri-negosyo” held on April 27 in Santa Cruz, Laguna gathered farmers’ groups, irrigators’ associations (IA), agri-based cooperatives, government agencies and private stakeholders in showcasing locally produced goods. It also served as a platform for knowledge-sharing and business networking to help farmers expand their market reach.

“This is the third year of agri-trade, and I can say that it is a success because our farmers are able to demonstrate and find markets to increase their income and sell it better, especially those they have already produced and are no longer raw materials, so that they can learn to have a business based on the products they harvest,” NIA Calabarzon regional manager Roberto Dela Cruz said during the event.

Among the highlights of the fair were exhibits of processed agricultural products in the five provinces in the region. Farmers also participated in the discussions of government agencies like Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), LandBank of the Philippines, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), among others in helping the agricultural sector in the region.

The initiative aligns with the national government’s push to strengthen food security while improving the economic condition of farmers. NIA then promotes agripreneurship to help farming communities become more resilient amid challenges such as rising production costs and the impacts of climate changes.

Meanwhile, Santol Irrigators and Farmers Association Inc. President Ruben Quebral said the annual agri-trade fair plays a vital role in promoting their produce and strengthening ties within the farming community.

“[NIA Agri-trade Fair] is what we’re looking forward to because we’re able to showcase our high value crops at this event and we’ve also built relationships with various farmers. We talk about how we can add value to our products, which is why this event is important every year,” Quebral said.

Being a farmer for 25 years and a cooperative member for six years, Quebral emphasized the importance of improving production while embracing sustainable practices with the help of NIA Calabarzon.

“It is important to first multiply (our product), take good care of the plants, organic is what is being promoted. Now that there is an agri intervention from the NIA, we took that opportunity to participate, qualify and develop so that we have the opportunity to have initial capital to further develop our crops, especially in terms of the need for inputs,” he added.

Dela Cruz then called on more farmers to take full advantage of the agri-trade fair, stressing that it offers a wide range of learning opportunities beyond product display.

“[Farmers] shouldn’t be the only one producing, we have something called a value chain here so that you can have additional income from how you make your product because there are times when the price is low, we need to do it to preserve and sell it in other ways so that farmers can increase their income.”

With sustained efforts, the agency hopes to cultivate a new generation of agripreneurs who can drive rural development and contribute to a more secure food supply in the region. (AM/PIA CALABARZON)