The pandemic had severely affected all sectors of the economy but provided an opportunity for the agriculture industry to use social media to promote and market locally-produced products, according to a local agricultural authority.
Assistant City Agriculturist Enera Tuibeo said during the Tactical Operations Wing West’s (TOW West) Usapang Pangkapayapaan, Usapang Pangkaunlaran (UP UP) Palawan program on Friday, June 25, that they are assisting local farmers and fishermen in selling their products through Go Palengke, a social media page dedicated to goods sales.
In the face of the pandemic, she claims that internet sales of items assist local farmers and fishermen supplement their income.
“Ang sinasabing challenges ngayong may pandemic, we take them as opportunities. Although may pandemic ay tuloy-tuloy ang mga farmers natin. Hindi ibig sabihin na huminto ang movement ng agriculture,” she said.
“Malaki ang tulong through social media kasi ang mga produkto ng mga farmers at fishermen ay diretso na sa opisina namin through Kadiwa ay kinukuha ang kanilang produkto at tayo ang nagma-market. Hindi na ito dumadaan sa middleman,” Tuibeo added.
She said that, in addition to Go Palengke, their office provides other agricultural help, such as seedling distribution and machine use.
According to Tuibeo, solar pump irrigation for rice fields is also being planned in the northeast and northwest barangays.
“Tuloy-tuloy din ang ating serbisyo para sa patubig para wala maging hadlqang sa mga kakulangan sa patubig. ‘Yong may mga pasilidad na mayroong source ng tubig ay ayon ang nababahagian namin ng makinarya para sa patubig,” she said.
Tuibeo stressed that the epidemic highlighted the importance of agriculture in society and in the lives of individual families.
She claims that after COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on big industries such as tourism, people are returning to farming.
Agriculture, she continued, is important in society since it produces food for each family’s table.
“Ang pananaw ng ating mga kababayan ay naisip nila ng husto kung gaano kahalaga ang sector ng agrikultura. Kapag hindi pala gumalaw ang mga magsasaka at Mangingisda, walang magtatanim at Mangingisda kahit marami tayong pera ay walang mabibiling pagkain nakita natin na isa talagang mahalaga na sektor ito,” she said.
“Sabi nga ng ilan ay we need engineer and lawyer once a week or a month but we need a farmer, three times a day in our lives kasi tatlong beses tayong kumakain,” Tuibeo added.
Tuibeo encourages other city residents who own land to consider farming as a way to contribute to the community’s food production.
“Isa ito sa sektor na hindi natin dapat mapabayaan, dapat maipromote lalo na ang may mga area na mag-go sila sa farming, sa diversify farming na makakatulong talaga hindi lang sa pamilya kundi sa lahat,” she said.
