At the age of new thinking in Agriculture, both the farmer and consumer should benefit from the food they serve on the table. For our farmers, they should get more income while our consumers should buy food that passed the highest standard of food safety practices.

In support of the new battle cry of Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar focuses on Masaganang Ani (Income) at Mataas na Kita (Yield), the DA Regional Field Office No. 02 (RFO 02) launched today the first-ever KADIWA grocery outlet in the country.

DA Assistant Sec. For Agribusiness and Marketing, Kristine Evangelista said the importance of this undertaking of our government in support of empowering farmers to eliminate specific layers in interfering on where to market their produce.

“This is the first-ever Kadiwa store in the country, and I commend Region 2, to be initiating it first benefiting more farmers to a sustainable and a steady income since there will be a permanent space for their produce,” added Evangelista.

Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulatory Rosemary Aquino, emphasized that today, farmers and fisherfolks should think and act like entrepreneuers.

Kadiwa is an avenue to sell the products of our farmers, fisherfolks, and food processors composed of 37 individuals and groups in all of Cagayan Valley region.

“But income should come second, and safety comes first,” said Supervising Agriculturist Rosemarie Martin discussing the importance of the Food Safety Act of 2013.

“We in the DA advocates to protect consumers while ensuring that our farmers should also generate income. Your health is at stake when you don’t know where your food is coming from,” she lamented.

She presented that all over the region, Santiago City is the first city to comply with the said act. Tuguegarao City and Dupax del Sur are also now in the process of making their place a pesticide safe compliant.

Evangelista stressed that the regions are important sectors of society because it feeds the people from the metro, and starting it in the area makes all the difference.

Dizon farms also pledged support to local farmers and were open to a possible collaboration.

The store runs until tomorrow, but Kadiwa grocery is found just in front of the DA RFO 02 Multi-purpose cooperative.