Kadiwa outlets eyed to augment food supply in metropolis

To provide more options for the public to access affordable agricultural products, the country’s agriculture chief has instructed the heads of attached agencies to expand the number of “Kadiwa” outlets in the metropolis.

To do this, Agriculture Secretary William Dar will be opening the Department of Agriculture’s various offices in the metropolis as new outlets while also coordinating with various local government units (LGUs) who would like to open their own Kadiwa stalls.

The Kadiwa, which stands for “Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa para sa Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita,” is a marketing strategy of the Department of Agriculture (DA) that directly connects food producers to consumers, thereby lessening the cost of the products by eliminating the middlemen.

“We want to provide the public as many options as possible to access affordable and nutritious food. The DA offices shall be ready to accommodate buyers but they should, of course, follow the quarantine guidelines and physical distancing procedures,” Dar said.

The secretary has been continuously urging LGUs to engage in the Kadiwa services to help ensure food supply in metropolitan areas while providing markets to local farmers’ produce.

There are more than a hundred major farmers’ groups participating in the program, bringing in fresh fruits, vegetables and agricultural products at reasonable prices, Dar said.

DA communications group lead Myriam Layaoen said the agency was currently finalizing its partnerships with the LGUs of Quezon City, Manila, Taguig, Pasay and Pasig, with the hopes of opening 66 Kadiwa sites nationwide. Currently, only the province of Rizal has consistent Kadiwa operations.

With many restaurants, shops and other services shutting down operations due to the enhanced community quarantine, Dar said farmers’ groups participating in the Kadiwa program had braved the initial set of logistical problems in order to deliver their produce.

The goal is to have Kadiwa stores become a basic component of a community, where consumers may troop to not only during times of calamities and crisis. INQ