ECHAGUE, Isabela ─ Banana, goat and peanut-based enterprises promise a better life for the farmers of the Cagayan Valley. To promote these enterprises and technologies on the three commodities, the Cagayan Valley Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (CVARRD) hosted “Rambakan sa lambak: Celebrating the bounties of Region II” on February 23─24 at the Isabela State University.
Rambakan (Iloco for celebration) sa lambak (Tagalog for valley) is CVARRD’s implementation of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development’s (PCAARRD) FIESTA.
FIESTA stands for Farms-Industry Encounter through Science and Technology Agenda. It is a strategy in promoting technologies and products of the Council’s regional partners and in linking the producers to the market. It entails the conduct of different events by combining elements found in a typical town fiesta.
A parade and motorcade kicked off the event with representatives of CVARRD member agencies and their muses along with local government officials, farmers, some members of the media, and ISU students. The route took participants around Echague, ending at the Isabela State University (ISU).
Aldaw ti manalon
In ISU, the “Aldaw ti Manalon” or farmer’s day was conducted immediately after the parade.
As expected, technologies on banana, peanut, and goat were demonstrated by ISU researchers and Magsasaka Siyentistas to students, media practitioners, and farmers.
After the demonstrations, Alyansa ng mga Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan (AGHAM) Party List Representative Angelo B. Palmones led the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the rambakan’s exhibit and trade fair. Joining him were Echague Mayor Melinda G. Kiat, PCAARRD-Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD) Director Melvin Carlos, CVARRD-Regional Research and Development Coordinating Council Chair and ISU President Romeo R. Quilang, and CVARRD Consortium Director Edmundo C. Gumpal.
In his keynote speech, Palmones hailed the technology transfer activities of CVARRD through the FIESTA.
“May buhay at pag-asa sa pagsasaka,” (There is life and hope in agriculture) the congressman said. Thus, he encouraged the youth to take up courses in agriculture, veterinary medicine, entomology, agricultural engineering, and other fields that will produce experts to address the increasing concern of climate change.
The afternoon of the Aldaw ti Manalon saw three simultaneous activities: business coaching, media conference, and a technology and investment forum.
The business coaching engaged the local entrepreneurs in discussions on specific issues affecting their businesses. The coaching focused on food safety, hazard analysis and critical points (HACCP), and good manufacturing practices.
PCAARRD’s Technology to People (T2P) media conference harnesses the expertise and influence of media practitioners in promoting technologies. For this T2P, discussion focused on technologies relating to the production, product development, and commercialization of goat, peanut and banana.
The first day was capped by the first-ever Mutya ng Rambakan sa Lambak. Winning the coveted crown was Berna Gracia Dimarucut of the University of Lasalette.
Panagdadapun
“Panagdadapun” or community gathering was the theme of the second day of the celebration. The participants captured the essence of the FIESTA through photos, essays, and posters, and even in a cookfest.
Christian Cabanilla of Quirino State College won first prize in the poster-making contest. Winning in the essay writing contest was Gabriel Taboy of Nueva Vizcaya State University.
On the other hand, Cagayan State University (CSU) took the first prize in the photojournalism competition. CSU proved its supremacy in the cooking competition as it swept all the culinary awards.
Rambakan sa Lambak ended on a high note with participants looking forward to the next celebration. This augurs well for goat-, peanut-, and banana-based enterprises and for the farmers and entrepreneurs about to reap the promises of a better life in the valley.