“This is a good initiative of BFAR to introduce new initiatives and innovations from their partner association. Sama aning salvaro, the usual salvaro is from cassava but diri naay baligya ang MAFA nga seaweed salvaro,” said Deloso.

(Just like this salvaro, which is typically made from cassava. But here, MAFA sells seaweed salvaro.)

The first for this year, the Seafood Kadiwa ng Pangulo featured 10 exhibitors, namely: Pestales Agriculture Cooperative, Bantayan Seafood, Pilar Food Producer, Rachael N Jhundy’s Homemade Food Products, Southern Negros Agri-Fisheries Multipurpose Cooperative, MAFA, Kriza Yangan’s Dried Fish, and three other MSMEs under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Kadiwa ng Pangulo

The Seafood Kadiwa ng Pangulo is an offshoot of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, which is anchored to the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) combined with the “BFAR on Wheels” concept. 

Kadiwa, which stands for Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa, is a market system of DA that links small-scale farmers and fisherfolks to consumers. 

“Ang goal jud sa kadiwa kay para ma-asistaran namo ang mga products sa fisherfolks cooperatives, association, ug Micro-Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) at an affordable price kay farm-gate price, dili mahal. Kay kung fresh mas affordable jud,” explained Mikee Calibugar of the Fisheries Production and Support Service Division of BFAR. 

(The main goal of Kadiwa is to help fisherfolk cooperatives, associations, and MSMEs in selling their products at an affordable price, which is the farm-gate price and not expensive. Because when it's fresh, it's more affordable.)

Monthly seafood fair

Calibugar said the public should expect more Kadiwa fairs in the coming months as BFAR is set to hold the Seafood Kadiwa ng Pangulo on a monthly basis this year. 

“Last year, we had around 10 Kadiwa. For this year, this will be the first but if we include the ‘TABO’ activity, this is the second Kadiwa since these are segments of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo,” said Calibugar,” said Calibugar. 

Among the exhibitors in the recent Kadiwa, fisherfolk cooperatives selling seafood harvests attracted more customers.

“Una jud mahalin ang mga fresh jud pero ang mga MSMEs makahalin ra sad sila. Dili sila alkanse kay dili raman sad dali madaot ilang mga produkto,” said Calibugar.

(The fresh seafood products sell out quickly, although the MSMEs also continue to make profits, as their products have a longer shelf life.) (MYP/PIA7 Cebu)