“If we would want to remain net producers and not become net consumers, then we should learn new ways of doing things and not be tied down by tradition and old practices,” said Gov. Jun Ebdane, as he cited efforts by farmers’ and fishers’ groups in the province to engage in alternative livelihood and develop their own businesses.
Five people’s organizations from various towns in the province have qualified for grants from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for the implementation of their project proposals.
The projects will be funded through a P1.77-million financial package provided by the ADB under the enterprise development and income diversification component of BFAR’s Integrated Coastal Resources Management Program (ICRMP).
Central Luzon BFAR director Remedios Ongtangco signed the agreement with the recipients of funding for the ICRMP enterprise livelihood projects. Ebdane and some municipal mayors were guests in the ceremony.
According to Ebdane, Zambales has been blessed with rich natural resources, but local farmers and fishers still engage in marginal farming and fishing because they lack the knowhow of new agricultural methods.
“We have good lands and we have vast seas, but we do not have knowledge of new technology and modern ways of farming and fishing,” Ebdane noted.
“The challenge now is how to produce more food, given the limited resources that we have. So take the opportunity to learn new technology.”
The governor also lamented that while the Philippines previously exported fish products to neighboring countries like Taiwan, it has now lagged in terms of fish catch as its neighbors made better use of technology in fishing.
Ebdane added that Zambaleños should keep tab of developments in the agriculture sector to be more competitive. One new opportunity for the local fishing industry, he said, is tuna culture, as Zambales has been identified as one of the best places in the country for this kind of enterprise.
