City seeks avenues to help increase productivity of local farmers

Mayor Benjamin Magalong is requesting the possible allotment of funds for the purchase of vehicles that would be given to local barangays engaged in agriculture and help urban farmers in bringing their produce to the market.

“Because we think of Baguio as a highly-urbanized city, napapabayaan na natin ang agricultural sector natin. Ang laki ng problema nila,” the Mayor said during the regular management committee meeting of local officials, August 23, at City Hall.

He stressed that the city government can help urban farmers increase their production by providing vehicles or other equipment that would help them in their agricultural activities.

The Mayor disclosed that he will also be working out ways to source possible vehicle donations from various agencies that will be given to local farmers or farmer organizations hampered by the lack of transportation in delivering their vegetables to market.

Earlier this month, Magalong met with stakeholders of the city’s agriculture sector in a consultation he asked to be organized by the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) under Dr. Silardo Bested.

The expressed the city government’s full support for urban farmers and his belief that with innovation and technology, the local agriculture industry would increase in productivity and grow at a steady pace.

Among the problems raised during the event was the lack of vehicles that could be used by farmers to bring their produce to the market.

In order for the city government to know what farmers need and how it can help them, the Mayor ordered Bested to conduct consultations every quarter with the next activity slated this November.

Bested disclosed that the city has around 3,000 registered farmers and about 186 hectares of farm lands. – Gaby B. Keith