FITS Banga leads 4-H club rally, agri-fair, etc.

By Salvacion R. Villasis
With reports from ISS Neneveh Ron

To showcase the harvest of the “beautiful town of Banga,” the Municipal Agriculture Office and the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in Banga, Aklan led the Agri-Fair for Fruit and Vegetables, 4-H Club Rally and Farmers Forum cum Graduation of Farmers Field School on Oct. 13–15, 2010 at the Teodosio Park in Poblacion, Banga, Aklan.

Dr. Anna Mae Relingo, Regional Techno Gabay (RTG) Coordinator of Western Visayas Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) and Director of Extension and Community Services (ECS) of Aklan State University (ASU), stressed that the role of the farm youths in agriculture sector is very significant. “Whatever happens, agriculture would still be the backbone of our country because our existence depends on it,” Relingo said. Relingo said ASU plays a crucial role as partner of the Municipal Agriculture Office of Banga in bringing technologies to the countryside. She also promoted the FITS Center in Banga and highlighted its services and achievements.

Mr. Mesitlie Teruel, Senior Agriculturist and Regional 4-H Club Coordinator of Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 6 (ATI-RTC 6) said that one of the main thrusts of DA is to build up out-of-school youth through scholarships, livelihood and exchange program. As DA's training and extension arm, ATI revived the 4-H Club Youth Development Program to further strengthen them “in its quest for agricultural development.”

Mr. Ricardo Saltin, Corn Program Coordinator of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 6, also said the youths must develop the virtues of trust, obedience and stewardship so they could take part in agricultural development.

Other activities included tilts on poster making, dish garden making, impromptu speech, Original Pilipino Music singing, dance sport and Search for Mr. and Miss 4-H Club. ASU Techno Gabay Team Leader Clyde Abayon, Regional Applied Communication Group Representative Salvacion Villasis and TG Staff Nicolas Banquero served as judges.

The celebration also featured a Farmers’ Forum attended by some 140 local farmers with representatives from the DA-RFU 6 and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Office 6. Twenty-seven hybrid corn farmers and 21 vegetable farmers were graduated by the Season-Long Farmers Field School on Integrated Pest Management and Training on Vegetable and Corn Production.

Municipal Agricultural Officer and FITS Manager Gelly Maypa cited the support of the Municipal Government of Banga led by Mayor Antonio Maming, ASU, DA-RFU 6, ATI-RTC 6, Banga’s Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council (MAFC) and Banga Elementary School.