This year's theme centred on good agricultural practices (GAP) as well as the growing small ruminants industry.  "Agrilink's theme focuses on important agricultural practices that will insure product quality and safety while also insuring productivity and overall competitiveness in the market. The focus crop sector is small ruminants, being the niche which in recent years has been showing strong growth and potential for livelihood and socio-economic contributions," explained Antonio Roces, president of the Foundation for Resource Linkage Development, a non-profit organization that has been organising Agrilink exhibits since 1994.

 

In the Philippines, GAPs will help provide stakeholders better access to international and local markets with more stringent demand for food quality and safety. According to Roces, servicing these more demanding but profitable markets requires sustainable yet science-based agricultural practices that utilise natural resources for the sustainable production of agricultural products while maintaining economic viability, efficiency and overall competitiveness.

 

According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), putting focus on good agricultural practices and the small ruminants industry is important, not only because of their contributions to increased agribusiness efficiency and food production but also to maintain sustainable growth. Moreover, the DA is working towards the contribution of GAPs in an effort to stabilise prices, decrease in losses, food security, efficiency in production as well as quality and safety of agricultural products.

 

The event was also the venue for the induction of new officers of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food--a group that comprise from different agri-sectors such as hog, poultry, crops and fisheries.

 

Aside from the exhibit, various seminars and activities were also held--from cooking to efficient animal farming. Conglomerates such as San Miguel and UNAHCO also made Agrilink 2010 their venue in renewing trade accords as well as flaunting their newest products and newfangled ideas.

 

The three-day event was spearheaded by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala as well as dignitaries from the government, private sector, foreign embassies and other renowned organisations.