A four-day event showcasing fresh and processed agri-fishery products from all over Zamboanga Peninsula, kicks off Tuesday, May 16 to 20, 2023 at the KCC Mall in Gov. Camins.
Organized by the Department of Agriculture-9, AGRIVENTA 4.0 is an Agribusiness Support to Promotion and Investment in Regional Expositions or ASPIRE and is themed Masaganang Agrikultura Maunlad na Ekonomiya.
Spearheading the event were DA9 Regional Executive Director Dennis Arpia, DA Asst. Regional Director Melba Wee, PSR Pedro Rufo Soliven, Regional Agricultural Federation Council Chair Leonardo Caparida, DA Asst. Regional Director Reynaldo Campomanes, DA9 AMAD Chief Marissa Mohammad and Coun. Litlit Macrohon.
In his welcome speech, Mayor John Dalipe, represented by Councilor Jerome Santos, lauded the Department of Agriculture for organizing such events, which he said, manifest the government’s recognition of the agriculture sector as the backbone of society.
A total of 42 exhibitors are participating in the event held in 2 venues – KCC Mall de Zamboanga – Main Exhibit Area at 2nd Floor (fronting Watson’s) and at the Atrium, East Wing (fronting Cabalen).
The DA also distributed some assistance for various local government units and farming organizations during the opening program. The assistance released included the P1.5M for the procurement of hauling vehicle for Project HOPE Agriculture Cooperative – Zamboanga City; P500K for procurement of post-harvest equipment for Polanco officials Employees and Community MPC- Zamboanga del Norte; P500K for procurement of post-harvest equipment for Pinan MPC- Zamboanga del Norte; P500k for trading capital for the Sindangan FACOMA Community MPC- Zamboanga del Norte; P1.5M for procurement of hauling vehicle for Monching Women’s Dried Fish Association – Zamboanga Sibugay and P1.6M for building construction to improve processing activities for the Zamboanga Sibugay High Value Crops Marketing Cooperative.
Meanwhile, a series of side events are set in the coming days – Trade Fair and Exhibits, Demonstration on Vegetable Chips/ Dehydrated vegetables processing and lecture on investment opportunities on Ceylon tea on May 17; investment opportunities on native chicken/ and small ruminants and lecture on Promotion: Mindanao Business Conference 2023 on May 18; Orientation on Young Farmers Challenge Program, Engaging the Youth in Agrilculture: the Kids who Farm advocacy and Fellowship Night on May 19 and Trade Fair and Exhibits, B2B meeting and closing ceremonies on May 20.
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page, photo courtesy by Kathy Wee Sit)