Agriculture Business Week

Agrilink, on its 16th year, underscores the leeway of sustainable food production for all Filipinos around the world through micro enterprising.

In times of economic crunch, British economist Ernst Friedrich Schumacher’s saying “Small is Beautiful” rings true. Effects of’ the latest financial meltdown are experienced across the globe, the Philippines included. Agrienterprises-big or small, from corporate to backyard raisers-are suffering from major changes in costs, input availability and consumer purchasing power.

Reduced prices and demand, multiplied with increased costs in advertising, production, marketing, transportation expenses and changing consumer attitudes, significantly affect producers and manufacturers and their mass-produced products. Indeed, humongous undertakings have to take a backseat for now. Teenyweenie efforts are therefore most welcome and even encouraged.

Village-based economics
Earlier this year, Filipino exporters have expressed dissatisfaction on the recent drop in demand of products abroad. And while industry experts contend with the world market in a downtrend spin, some find wisdom in village-based economics. This entails reconsideration of overall business thrusts, like servicing shorter marketing chains and doing things in small increments instead of on a massive scale.

“Now is the perfect time for the agribusiness sector to divert from huge entrepreneurial undertakings that require extensive and expensive marketing networks and inventory financing,” said Antonio V. Roces, president of Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development (FKLU), a non-profit organization that serves the agribusiness industry.

On October 8 to 10, FRLD, on its 16th year, will once again stage the Philippines’ grandest and most influential trade fair on agriculture, food and Aquaculture Agrilink, Foodlink and Aqualink which will underscore the benefits of focusing an micro-enterprises that promote sustainable local food production and focus on the market we know and can service best: the Filipino market.

“The idea is to build up our local markets first before looking into exports and such. We believe that in this time of financial crisis, the best Way to survive, in the business is to tap our indigenous resources and form, enhance and focus on our own market niches, whose preferences we know best and to which we can respond quickly to any changes in supply, demand and buying power,” continued Roces.

Going back to basics
Sustainable food production can be attained by larger numbers of smaller, more diverse products and niches provide the opportunity for smaller, diversified farms to develop vertically and compete commercially with larger, specialized agricultural enterprises. This may involve small or moderate size businesses or farms that produce specialty products or service for a limited segment of the $market, which aren’t readily served by mainstream markets.

At the same time, the competition brings about intensified product and market development, further improving quality, quantity and price competitiveness of local products.

Agrilink 2009’s theme, “Sustainable Food Production: Focus on the Filipino Market” centers on how the recent effects of the global financial catastrophe can be addressed not by bigger is better,” but by “going back to basics” and focusing on the local market. Through seminars, live animal and plant displays and other special activities, Agrilink aims to tap underdeveloped markets and make them a catalyst to sustainable local food production and overall agricultural growth.

Products to be featured include agricultural chemicals, animal housing and breeding, animal health and nutrition, equipment and machinery, organic farming and hydroponics, publications, research and consultancy services, to name a few.

Mitigating climate change
In its objective to continually alleviate aquaculture-related issues that fisherfolk encounter, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will be showcasing technologies designed to mitigate any negative impact of the recent environmental crisis.

The effects of the recent typhoon Emong, which destroyed fish cages that accounted for 80 tons a day loss in the Metro Manila fish supply a few months ago, coupled by the pollution that different communities and industries along Laguna de Bay contribute, are just some of the issues that BFAR is contending with today. Climate change will add to the complexity of addressing these issues.

“The effects of climate change had set off increase in prices of other commodities. And so we would highlight and showcase fisheries technologies that address these issues,” said BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento. “Extreme weather conditions have affected fisheries, and among the sectors, it’s the small fishermen who will suffer tile most.”

There have been n existing systematic approaches to combat the challenges of climate change, which is why BFAR is gunning for the promotion of measures and practices that all fishermen can easily adapt.

The responsible management of the fisheries resources and ecosystems is a major challenge for world food security. At the same time, the sector is threatened by external factors such as pollution runoff, land-use transformation and competing aquatic resource uses upon which the impacts of climate changes could have an important compounding effect.

“Actually, the answer to climate change is farming, not hunting. Climate change affects migratory patterns and spawning processes of the wild, which will make it hard for fisherfolk to hunt. Hatcheries, on the other hand, wherein the weather    can    be controlled and adjusted, will bring forth continuous breeding and more fruitful yield,” said Sarmiento.

It’s high time to teach the most vulnerable sector-the marginal fishermen-to be able to adapt to changing weather conditions. “We are also teaching them new trades because scientists say that the effects of climate change would be mostly on the wild. So we’re already preparing the fishermen because scientists also agree that they are the most vulnerable sector under climate change,” he continued.

Mariculture and its advantages
BFAR, apart from promoting and educating fisherfolk about the effects of climate change, plans to import 500 pairs of cold-tolerant tilapia from Israel and another 500 pairs of grasseating ti.lapia, which Sarmiento believes could address the issues on the increasing prices of feeds as well.

Sarmiento also cited 7oo hectares in Bulacan and Pampanga that were formerly rice lands, but have slowly converted into fishponds of brackish water tilapia, since the areas had saline water intrusion.

The public can also expect other projects from BFAR that include programs that promote fisherfolk’s shift from fish hunting to fish farming through their recent projects “Sea Cage Technology and Mariculture Parks” and “Sea Cages for Rent,” wherein cages and fingerlings are provided by BFAR, while aquaculture company Tateh Aqua Feeds, led by its president Philip Ong, provides the initial supply of feeds.

Presently, there are 36 mariculture parks located in strategic areas throughout the country-10 in Luzon, 15 in the Visayas and Mindanao, with the newly launched parks in Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte and in Compostela Valley in Davao del Norte as the latest additions.

Panabo profits
In the Panabo Mariculture Park, bangus sells at an average of Php86.00 farm gate price. After 4 months of operation, a 10m x 10m x 5m cage stocked with 15,000 bangus fingerlings could easily harvest an average of 6000 kilos of fish. With production cost of Php70.00-Php75.00 per kilo, a fish farmer could easily earn some Php90,000 per cage or a total of Php180,000.00 for two cropping periods per year.

To further boost profit, the fish farmer has also been permitted to grow danggit or samurai in tand1m with the bangus in a system called aqua-polyculture. After one cropping, with 1680 pieces fingerlings, the danggit could grow to an estimated 100 kilos which could easily fetch an additional income of Php8,800.

The park call accommodate a total of 600 fish cages, 100 of which is intended for marginalized groups or organizations, and 500 units for private investors. Sarmiento said, “To ensure the sustainability of’ this venture, BFAR through its Regional Fisheries Training Center in Nanabo provides training and technical assistance to investors and fisherfolk who are interested to venture into bangus production.”

Through mariculture parks, the fishermen are taught to farm fish instead of hunting them. Fish farming would mean an assurance of harvest, reduced working hours and savings in fuel cost. For the environment, it means a respite for marine life to flourish and increase in population.

Best of its kind
Agrilink, which showcases diverse products and services “is the best of its kind here in the country,” according to SANTEH Feeds Corp. President and CEO Philip Ong who also happens to be the Chairman of this year’s Agrilink.

Through seminars, live animal and plant displays and other special activities, Agrilink aims to underscore the benefits of the market we know and can service best: the Filipino market.

Additionally, highlights of the event, which include product launchings, live contests and other related, events sponsored by different government and private organizations, make Agrilink the most well attended agri trade fair in the country. Special settings, which can be found right smack in the middle of the venue, World Trade Center in Pasay City, also draw the attendees’ attention. Additionally, a new 450m2 ILDEX Pavilion will further expand access to international companies, products and technologies. Ong, promises an aquaculture spectacle in this year’s special setting.

“We encouraged everybody we know in the aquaculture industry to pitch in and make this year’s special setting as remarkable as possible. We are working around a sub-theme we call Sustainable Fish Supply for the Filipino People to model it on,” said Ong.

Santeh Feeds, along with Frabelle Fishing Co., St. Joseph Fishing Co., Finfish Hatcheries, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), Bernales Petshop and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), will mount aquariums that will house numerous fish species surrounding an all-blue centerpiece that will contain brief backgrounders on the history of Philippine aquaculture and its recent challenges.

“We are working on getting as much kinds of fresh and salt water fish in there,” said Ong, “Like pompano, siganid, Grouper, vannamei, seabass, koi, abalone, snapper, red tilapia, sea urchin, macrobrachium (Ulang), sea cucumber, seaweeds, pangasius, tilapia, bangus and other tropical and ornamental fishes.”

Ong shares Sarmiento’s sentiments about climate change as well, and this is why he deemed it necessary to collate seminar topics from the sponsoring companies such as: “Making Money out of Guppies and Other Live Bearers,” “Raising Koi and Other Egg Layers for Fun and Profit,” “Going for the Big time by Raising High Value Ornamentals,” “Niche Market vs Mass Market in Aquaculture,” “Investment Opportunities in Mariculture Parks,” “Culture and Market Potentials of Pangasius,” “Introducing the Humpback Grouper and Cage Culture of Macrobrachium in Inland Waters.”

“Our fisheries can be more competitive if the players of the industry could be able to share helpful information and not just products, to small fishermen. Accordingly, we hope to encourage these players to create models that will help sustain aquaculture efficiently, for more generations to come,” Ong continued.

By Hans Audric B. Estialbo