Panganiban

DA cites LGUs role in ‘climate-resilient’ agri

November 22, 2022 Cory Martinez 215 views

THE local government units (LGUs) play a strategic role as decision-makers, planners, and implementers of resiliency-building initiatives, making them effective frontline partners and champions of climate-resilient agriculture.

This was stressed by Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban during the opening of the weeklong celebration of the 15th Annual Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week. The celebration started last Monday and ends on Nov. 25, 2022.

In his message, Panganiban disclosed that the DA (Department of Agriculture) will embark on highlighting the capacity of the LGUs to pursue climate resilience.

“Our Regional Field Offices are already equipped with evidence-informed planning through our various initiatives. Now is the time to put LGUs on equal footing on board as we continuously establish, expand, and replicate our adaptation strategy until all our towns, provinces, and regions with farming ad. fishing zones are transformed,” he said.

The celebration with the theme “Sama-Samang Tumutugon sa Hamon ng Nagbabagong Klima” aims to create awareness of global warming and climate change by pursuing broad and intensive public information and education campaigns to secure the collective cooperation of the private and public sectors.

Panganiban, was joined by Undersecretary Jane C. Bacayo and DA-Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative for Agriculture (AMIA) Director Alicia A. Ilaga in the opening ceremony, which featured an exhibit of knowledge products of the DA’s Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (DA-CRAO).

In support of the national climate-resilience program, DA, through the Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (DA-CRAO), launched the C-R-A initiatives pertaining to:

C – CreATE (Climate-Resilient Agriculture Through Evidence-Informed Planning) to capacitate the local executives into science-based tools such as Climate Risk Vulnerability Assessment Maps, National Color-Coded Agricultural Guide Map, Climate Information Services, Participatory Climate Risk Vulnerability Assessment, and Protocol on Establishing Climate-Resilient Villages;

R – Resilience Toolkit for LGU (RTL); and

A – Additional Decision-Support Tools

“Certainly, our calls for enhanced resilience for our farmers and fisherfolk expands beyond the LGU sector. As exemplified in this year’s theme, we remain hopeful na sa ating pagsasama-sama mas marami tayong magagawa sa lalong madaling panahon,” Panganiban said.

The Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week are celebrated simultaneously with all government offices, agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations under the auspices of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change.

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