This Writer Sees, “When Farm Groups Go Up, Up Goes The Nation!” Kadiwa Is A Godsend – Whose Idea Do You Think?

National recovery is a prime concern of the Du30 Administration, and this is visible in the latest joint move of government agencies to generate wealth via production of food from lands and waters, with financial support for farmers and fishers, as well as improvement of tourism economics.

ANN says “DA, NEDA, DTI, Other Gov’t Agencies Join Forces Towards National Recovery” (Author Not Named, 25 Jan 2022, DA.gov.ph):

Looking beyond the global economic slowdown… Philippine government agencies forged an alliance towards recovery and rebuilding the country’s economy under the Task Group on Economic Recovery – National Employment Recovery Strategy (TGER-NERS).

The TGER-NERS virtual press conference was held 18 Jan 2022 with cabinet secretaries Karl Kendrick Chua (National Economic Development Authority), Ramon Lopez (Department of Trade & Industry), and Berna Romulo-Puyat (Department of Tourism) sharing their agencies’ energized economic & employment plans.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar “presented the continuing efforts of the DA in partnership with the local government units (LGUs), private sector, and farmers’ and fisherfolk’s cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in attaining the national food security goals of the Duterte administration.”

I note the DA’s emphasis on cultivating partnerships with other government departments, LGUs, the private sector, and FCAs. Previous heads of the DA failed to see the intrinsic value of partnerships.

Mr Dar cited the DA’s initiative “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” (“Kindred Spirits in Harvest & Income” – Frank’s translation):

To make food affordable and accessible to the public, and strengthen markets for our farmers and fisherfolk, the DA has implemented nationwide the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita marketing program.

Louise Maureen Simeon says this modern Kadiwa is “a collaborative project of the DA, Department of Interior & Local Government and Food Terminal Inc (15 Sept 2019, “Government Revives Marcos-Era Stores,” PhilStar Global):

The Kadiwa store system was originally introduced by… President Ferdinand Marcos to help bring down the prices of agricultural commodities. It was also implemented by (President Joseph Estrada).

Kadiwa is a marketing lesson from Apo Ferdi. A good idea should never be allowed to die – especially for the common good!

Mr Dar said, “The initiative that directly links farmers with consumers is a win-win strategy, benefitting both food producers and consumers.”

Today’s Kadiwa stores began rolling out March 2020. As of 15 Dec 2021, Kadiwa stores had catered to 1.5 million households with food produced by 38,383 farmers and fishers around the country.

ANN says:

In the remaining months of the Duterte administration, the DA Kadiwa marketing program aims to serve more clients – roughly 3,000 individuals and 100,000 households per month.

I see Kadiwa as an anti-profiteering program to restrain the desires of merchants to extract pounds of flesh from consumers Shylock-like.

The DA through its Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) has also extended financial support to small farmers and fishers, as well as the youth engaged in agribusinesses.

With TGER-NERS in full swing, I foresee the Philippine economy will respond with a TIGERGER - Ilocano word that suggests a positive trembling in excitement!@517