THE local government has allocated P40 million worth of modernization fund for the agri-fishery sector, which plays a vital role in the development of Zamboanga City.
Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the allocation will enable the City Agriculturist Office to provide rice seeds to farmers, organic fertilizers to rice, corn and vegetable farmers, livelihood interventions, including farm tools and supplies.
Salazar also stressed that calamity assistance was given to affected farmers when the city was hardly hit by the dry spell brought about by "El Niño" last year that prompted City Agriculturist Camencita Sanchez to formulate an enhanced "El Niño" Contingency Plan for the city.
The mayor said Zamboanga City further explored on other viable agri-ventures, such as the introduction of advanced farming technology to La Paz highland farmers on strawberry, researches on Mudcrab Culture in Aquasilviculture and Participatory Varietal Selection for Rice that are drought and saline resistant, and the endorsement of Seaweed Production and Marketing Enterprise project for the Mampang Seaweed Planters Association (Masepla). (VoxPop Zamboanga)