CABARROGUIS, Quirino (PIA) - - To culminate the Quirino Integrated Rural Development (QIRD) Project, the provincial government and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will hold the Quirino Livelihood for Everyone (Q-LiFE) product launching and marketing at The Podium Hall, ABD Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on September 15, 2023. 

With the theme, “Quirino Your basket of Happiness: Taste the Goodness of Quality Food in QLiFE,” the one-day event will showcase food products processed at the Q-LIFE such as Kimchi, Guyamansi Juice, Tomato Jam, Ginmeric Tea,Turmeric Tea, Ginger Tea, Butter cookies, Choco Cookies, Streusel, Butter Roll, Pullman bread, Classic loaf bread, Monggo Loaf, Ube Loaf,Nutribun, squash, Regensburg Sausage, Frankfurter Sausage, Bierschinken Ham, Jadgwurst Ham and Beef Jerky.

The province’s non-food products, unique biodiversity and cultural heritage will also be put to the spotlight.

The QIRDP, a joint project of the provincial government and the KOICA was conceptualized in 2017 to promote agroforestry-based integrated farming model, develop the livestock industry and ensure complete value chain formation through the Q-LIFE.  

The Q-LIFE Processing Center shall provide support in the processing and marketing  of the products produced by the farmers with the main goal of increasing the agricultural productivity and income of the farmer-beneficiaries by integrating the production processing and marketing into the agricultural value chain.

The partnership between Quirino and KOICA started in 2013 when the Korean government awarded 5 million US dollar-grant for  the implementation of the Quirino Integrated Agricultural Development Project (QIADP) that aimed to reduce poverty incidence in the province while restoring its major watersheds in five barangays of Aglipay.

Through the QIADP, farm-to-market roads, tourism roads, feed mill, and mushroom-production facilities were constructed, series of trainings and workshops were conducted, farm inputs were distributed and agricultural credit was opened to farmer-beneficiaries.

Convinced with the project’s importance and with the project implementation capability of the province, KOICA again donated 9,500,000 US dollars to expand and sustain the impact of QIADP.

“As the province treads the path towards agro industrial development, particularly in the agri-business development, we will also showcase our  investment opportunities, particularly in the agribusiness sector which has significant and untapped potential to generate high-value addition, meet growing domestic demand for quality food and create jobs across the value chain, Governor Dakila Carlo E. Cua said.

Cua further said that under the development of Agroforestry-based Integrated model, farmer-beneficiaries were trained on a sustainable farming system by combining agricultural crops, trees and livestock.

The governor further said the beneficiaries will be able to earn while doing their part in sustaining forest restoration and conservation.

It can be recalled that under the leadership of  former Governor Junie Cua Quirino had adopted a massive watershed rehabilitation program, utilizing high value crops, among others, as an effective forest cover to prevent soil degradation and river siltation.

“The province, being the headwaters of the Cagayan River system, plays a great role in watershed rehabilitation and protection to avoid flooding and river siltation in the whole Cagayan Valley,” former Governor Junie Cua said.

Also highlighting the event will be the Quirino Shopee Online Store Launch, an initiative of the provincial government to provide exclusive Shopee stores for Quirino  products. 

“Malaking tulong sa mga micro-small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) na makilala ang tatak at produktong Quirino. Initially, around 100 food and non-food products from Quirino and ating Ibibida.” Gov. Cua said. (This is a big help to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)  to be able to introduce Quirino products. Initially, around 100 food and non-food products will be showcased.) 

The said event will be graced by officials from the Korea Embassy, KOICA,  Hankyong National University, Philippine-Korean Chamber of Commerce, Quirino provincial and municipal officials, national government agencies, Congresswoman Midy Cua, PCSO Chairperson Junie Cua and employees of the provincial government headed by Provincial Administrator Carmelita B. Jimenez. (JCC/TCB/PIA-QUIRINO/cover image by Brayan Capunong/SMNI)