Various products from at least 60 “agripreneurs” in Central Luzon took center stage in this week’s Kadiwa Trade Fair spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon (DA-3).

The three-day trade fair at the Marquee Mall, Angeles City that ended on Friday gave an opportunity for the agriculture entrepreneurs in the region’s seven provinces (Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Aurora) to offer the food and non-food items that they have produced and manufactured to consumers.

Angelica Castañeda, one of the agriprenuer-exhibitors, thanked the DA for the support extended to them through the holding of the fair.

“Maraming salamat sa suporta ng DA para mai-promote ang aming mga produkto (Thank you very much to the support of the DA for giving us an opportunity to promote our products),” she said in a news report of the DA-Region 3 (Central Luzon).

Castañeda’s products offered at the trade fair included delicacies made from carabao milk.

Likewise, Russel Quiambao from Candaba, Pampanga is thankful to the DA for giving her initial capital to continue the egg and “balut” (fertilized duck egg) business that her parents left for her to manage.

“Napakalaking bagay po, kasi nun nawala po ang tatay ko ay ako na ang nagtuloy sa iniwanan ng kabuhayan. Napakalaking tulong ang program ng Department of Agriculture (It is a big matter because when my father passed away, I was the one who continued the livelihood. The program of the Department of Agriculture is a big help),” Quiambao said.

Several farmers’ associations and cooperatives from the region likewise participated in the trade fair which is part of the celebration of Filipino Food Month this April.

With the theme “Pagkaing Sariling Atin, Mahalin at Pagyamanin,” this year’s celebration aims to appreciate, preserve, promote, and ensure the transmission of Filipino culinary traditions and treasures to future generations and to support the various industries, farmers and agri-communities.

“Napaka-importanteng maipakilala sa mga kabataan ang mga tradisyunal na pagkain upang mapanatili ang ating kultura sa mga susunod na henerasyon (It is very important to introduce to the youth the traditional foods in order to preserve our cultures for the next generation),” DA-3 Regional Technical Director Arthur D. Dayrit said in the report.

He likewise cited the important role of the farmers and fishers who are the sources of the ingredients for traditional Filipino foods.

“We are working at the Department of Agriculture to serve our farmers and fishers. Our goal is to have a food-secure Philippines. One way of helping our local farmers and fishers is to buy local. Kapag sinabi nating (When we say) Filipino food, usually the ingredients are locally produced. So, if we promote locally produced food, that is one way of helping our farmers and fishers,” Dayrit added. (PNA)