A total of 168,000 tilapia fingers from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) were distributed to fisherfolks in the province of South Cotabato through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
Provincial Agriculturist Raul D. Teves disclosed that the beneficiaries of the said fingerlings include the municipalities of Polomolok, Banga, Tantangan, Lake Sebu, Koronadal City, and Norala.
He added the Provincial Scion, Grove, Nursery, Research, Production, and Demonstration Farm situated at Brgy. Reyes, Banga was also one of the recipients of the tilapia fingerlings.
Teves added that the demo farm is proposed to be a Training and Learning Site for Fresh Water Aquaculture in the province.
Earlier this year, the bureau conducted an inspection and validation of the Provincial Demo Farm site as it was also proposed to become a Provincial Hito Hatchery in the province. The finalization of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Provincial Government of South Cotabato is being readied to complete the plan.
The BFAR whose primary role is to ensure food security needs to increase production through aquaculture and fisheries. This way, the agency needs to provide assistance to fisherfolks to propagate more fish to achieve food sufficiency.
All these initiatives aim to achieve adequate fish supply for the majority of the population throughout the year despite the effects of the pandemic.
“We extend our gratitude to the bureau for helping our fisherfolk,” Teves said.
