The pandemic has stopped general farming in its tracks, with 15 percent of crop-raising and fishing activities in the countryside suspended in March. The movement of produce from the provinces was thus affected, curtailing food supply in Metro Manila.
The pandemic has stopped general farming in its tracks, with 15 percent of crop-raising and fishing activities in the countryside suspended in March. The movement of produce from the provinces was thus affected, curtailing food supply in Metro Manila.
While the government granted subsidies to farmers, the private sector teamed up with farmers groups to alleviate the problem by bringing produce to the cities during the enhanced community quarantine. Facebook and Instagram served as the marketplace.
The farmers knowledge of technology and digital tools served them in good stead. To help boost productivity and marketability, the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) last year launched the Digital Farmers Program (DFP) in partnership with Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).
See full article at Manila Bulletin
