Seaweed Fiesta puts spotlight on fisherfolks

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Other than celebrating the bounty and economic potential of seaweed, the source of livelihood for many Davaoeños, the Seaweed Fiesta puts the spotlight on fisherfolk, who continually exert effort to improve seaweed production in their barangay.

The two-day event combined a series of lectures intended to equip fisherfolk with technologies and practices in improving seaweed produce as well as competitions that tested the skills and creativity of fisherfolk, students, and Davao residents.

The Southern Mindanao Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMARRDEC) and DOST’s Los Baños-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) held the event with the theme, “Revitalizing Davao Region’s Seaweed Industry through Science and Technology.”

The competitions included a seaweed culinary contest, on-the-spot slogan and poster making contest, inter-school dance contest termed as Wara-wara sa Baybay, seaweed planting relay, biggest seaweed bunch, and boat racing termed as Bangkarera.

The Seaweed Fiesta is just one of the events held under the Farming and Industries Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda or FIESTA and a component of the Council’s Techno Mart Program. FIESTAs aim to bridge the farming sector and the micro, small, and medium scale industries through a science and technology-based platform.

DOST-PCAARRD had supported the Pangtawid Project for the Rehabilitation of Davao Oriental and Compostella Valley brought about by Typhoon Pablo through Seaweed Farming in 2013.