CamSur farmers gain new opportunities through DA Bicol Rice Caravan
- May 22
- 3 min read
By Ana-Liza Sapinoso Macatangay
PILI, Camarines Sur --- More than 100 farmers and livestock raisers from Camarines Sur gathered for a learning and networking activity organized by the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 5 (DA RFO 5) as part of this month’s Farmers’ Festival celebration.
Led by the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS) in partnership with the DA Rice Program, the Rice Information Caravan was held on Thursday, May 14, at the DA RFO 5 Convention Center in San Agustin, Pili, Camarines Sur.
Participants included rice and high-value crop farmers, as well as livestock raisers from 15 farmers’ cooperatives and organizations across the province.
The caravan served as a venue for farmers to learn about the latest programs, services, and initiatives of the DA while promoting sustainable and efficient farming practices aimed at improving productivity and increasing farmers’ income.
For many participants, the event also opened doors to new partnerships and practical solutions to long-standing challenges.
Roy Nelson G. Layosa, president of the Goat Raisers Association of Camarines Sur, said the activity helped their group connect with other organizations that could provide alternative sources of livestock feed.
“Dakulang tabang ining caravan na ini lalo na ta naka-connect ako duman sa ibang grupo. Kaming mga goat raisers problemado dahil kulang ang pagkakan kan mga ataman mi,” Layosa said in vernacular.
(This caravan is a big help because it allowed me to connect with other groups. We, goat raisers, have been struggling with feed shortages due to the extreme heat. Some farmers consider corn stalks as waste, but we can buy and use them as feed for our animals.)
He explained that corn stalks, often considered waste by crop farmers, can instead be purchased and used as feed for goats and other livestock. According to Layosa, goat raisers continue to struggle with limited feed supply due to the lingering effects of the dry spell.
Layosa also expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and the DA for their continued support of the agriculture sector.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa national government headed by our President, sa DA for this opportunity. Sana padagos an saindang pag-alalay sa sektor kan agrikultura dahil aram ta man na ini an backbone kan satuyang ekonomiya,” he added.
(We would like to thank the government, led by our President, and the DA for this opportunity. We hope their support for the agriculture sector continues, as farming remains the backbone of Camarines Sur’s economy.)
Meanwhile, Jesus Salcedo Privaldos, chairman of the New MASSBA (Mataoroc-Sagrada Familia-San Jose-Baliuag Viejo) Multipurpose Cooperative, said the information caravan would help their members adopt modern farming technologies that could reduce production costs while increasing yield and profit.
Privaldos also thanked government agencies for continuously extending assistance to farmers. He recalled his opportunity to meet President Marcos during the turnover of the National Irrigation Administration’s solar irrigation project in Minalabac on March 24 this year.
The New MASSBA Multipurpose Cooperative covers four barangays in Minalabac, Camarines Sur, spanning 1,255 hectares and benefiting more than 1,000 members.
For Florentino “Bong” Umali, president of the Mambalite-Palangon Farmers’ Agriculture Cooperative (MPFAC), government support has significantly helped strengthen their cooperative.
Umali shared that their group became a beneficiary of the DA’s Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) program, receiving a P5.5-million swine production project complete with a modern, air-conditioned, and bio-secured facility.
The facility enabled the cooperative to raise and sell 300 piglets, allowing them to recover their capital after three successful production cycles.
“Kadakul makukuang tabang hali sa gobyerno. Kung dae sa Department of Agriculture, mayo kami ngunyan samuyang kamugtakan kaya salamat po,” Umali said.
(We have received so much help from the government. Without the DA, we would not be where we are today, so thank you very much.)
Aside from swine production, the cooperative also manages rice fields, sweet corn plantations, watermelon farms, other high-value crops, and coconut plantations.
Beyond sharing information, the caravan also enabled farmers and livestock raisers to voice their concerns, challenges, and recommendations directly regarding the current state of agriculture in the region.
DA RFO 5 Public Information Office Chief Lovella Guarin said the activity aims to strengthen farmers’ awareness and understanding of the agency’s programs and services while encouraging wider adoption of agricultural innovations and technologies in local communities. (PIA Bicol/Camarines Sur)
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