BBM’s Farmers Forum honors women in agriculture

By Paulo DS. Papa

THE women in agriculture and aquaculture sector is the highlight of this year’s Farmers Forum, an event which is a part of the 18th Bicol Business Month organized by Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI).

The Farmers Forum, which will be conducted at the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum, will reel off on October 8-9.

Engr. Flordeliza Azaña, the event chair of this year’s Farmers Forum, said during a press conference that the women today in agriculture stand as business innovators who have become dependable partners of men in the agriculture sector.

“This is contrary to the traditional view of women as the persons who supposed to bring food to their husbands while working in the farm” she said in Bicol.

Azaña narrated about several women in Caramoan, Camarines Sur who sell dried seaweeds in Naga City as an example of business innovators. She said that innovations of this sea crop, such as pickles seaweeds, was displayed and sold during the Bishop Francisco Gainza Trade Fair held last September 8 to 18, this year.

Aside from the farmers groups from Naga City, also participating in the forum are farmers from Caramoan town and Las Piñas, Metro Manila. She added that those farmers from Las Piñas, specifically the Sipag Villar and Las Piñas Urban Farmers are exemplary groups that maintain the good prices of vegetables in their localities.

Azaña said “these are the people who prevented their fellow folk to spend more money on imported vegetables. They also introduced new urban gardening methods.”

Azaña announced that Agri Party-list representative Wilbert Lee will be the guest speaker in the forum.