Bernard Vicente, president of the National Tobacco Farmers Association and Cooperatives, Inc. (NAFTAC), represented tobacco farmers’ associations and cooperatives for the NTA Vigan Branch during the National Food Security Summit 2021 hosted online by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on May 18-19.
Vicente and fellow tobacco grower and coop member Arlyn Vega joined NTA staff at the Branch Office in Bantay, Ilocos Sur during the livestreaming. They took part in the sectoral breakout sessions, one of the highlights of the summit.
According to DA, the summit served as a venue to gather stakeholders to craft strategic action plans that will address emerging challenges and opportunities of the agriculture and fisheries sector. Expected outputs include policy recommendations as inputs to the commodity and industry roadmaps and in crafting food security plan.
NTA Vigan staff who joined the livestreaming were Diosdao Maduli, acting Chief Agriculturist, Noralyn I. Idica, Administrative Officer V, and Tomasito Taloza, Agriculturist II. Selected NTA staff and farmer leaders of other branch offices also participated in the Food Summit from their respective offices.
[Photo credit: Immanouel A. Rafanan]