A 5-day Market Expo and Trade Fair to recognize People’s Organizations and Integrated Social Forestry farmers engaged in sustainable farming and good agricultural practices for a greener Negros environment kicked off at the Capitol grounds in Bacolod City on Monday, December 5.
The fair that runs until Friday was organized by the Provincial Environment Management Office, Acting PEMO head Alberto Nellas Jr. said.
The event aims to foster partnership and collaboration with stakeholders from non-government organizations, private and business/investor sectors, and the academe to fill the gap between the producers and the market or from the supplier and the consumer in order to promote and attain sustainability of Negros products, the PEMO said.
It is also being held to empower farmers and provide economic opportunities, including development of entrepreneurial skills to increase competitiveness, it added.
PEMO manages the Integrated Social Forestry sites which are considered the nerve centers for environmental activities in the uplands. These areas are assisted in community development efforts, agricultural inputs and other forms of development.
To lessen dependency on forest resources, the program provides residents tasked with protecting the forests with various forms of livelihood to augment their daily needs.*