Congresses held to tackle agri-fishery constraints in Western Visayas

The Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas organized a series of consultation with farmers and fisherfolk through the Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs) Congress from May 20 to 23, 2025 in Jordan, Guimaras; Roxas City, Capiz; Kalibo, Aklan; and San Jose, Antique.

Spearheaded by the the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) Chairperson and Farmer Regional Executive Director (FRED) Engr. Buen S. Mondejar, the farmers’ congress gathered feedback and recommendations from agri-fishery stakeholders. Representatives form DA-attached agencies, local government units, and other national government offices attended the consultations.

Farmer Director Mondejar stressed the need for a system that allows farmers and fisherfolk to share their concerns and help shape national policies. He encouraged them to raise their concerns on issues such as access to credit, crop insurance, capacity-building, mechanization, market access, and climate-resilient technologies.

Access to production inputs, credit, crop insurance, training, mechanization, market linkage, and climate-adaptive technologies were among the concerns faced by farmers and fisherfolk. Each session included a training needs assessment to identify specific support required at the provincial level. The DA also documented requests for infrastructure support, including irrigation, post-harvest facilities, and farm-to-market roads. These concerns will be endorsed to the relevant DA offices for appropriate response.

The activity strengthened coordination between the DA and the AFCs as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to promote participatory governance in agriculture and fisheries. Insights and recommendations obtained from the provincial consultations will be consolidated into a regional report to guide future planning and policy decisions. The DA reaffirmed its commitment to aligning its services with the needs and priorities identified by farmers and fisherfolk during the engagement. ### Photos by Cristine Lauresta and Text by Cristine Lauresta & John Candelario/DA-RAFIS