The Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X) joined the 15th Sustainable Agri-Aqua Fair on April 18, 2026, at the Kauswagan International Convention Center in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte.
ATI-RTC X, represented by OIC Assistant Center Director Mr. Efren C. Macario, attended the opening of the 15th Sustainable Agri-Aqua Fair earlier today as part of the annual Hugyaw sa Kadagatan Festival, celebrated every April, and the 78th Charter Day of the municipality.
The program started with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Municipal Mayor Hon. Sonia A. Arnado and Vice Mayor Hon. Rommel C. Arnado, together with barangay captains and representatives from various national government agencies.
Also present during the activity were representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Lanao del Norte, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) – Lanao del Norte, Department of Tourism (DOT) Region X, and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) – Lanao del Norte. Each delivered messages highlighting their programs and services for farmers and fisherfolk, especially in Lanao del Norte.
In his message, Mr. Macario emphasized the need to encourage more youth to engage in agriculture, noting that many young people still associate farming with poverty. He explained that ATI continues to promote agriculture as a viable career by offering internship opportunities for the youth abroad in countries such as Japan, Taiwan, and Israel, as well as local internship programs under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Program (CFIDP), Organic Agriculture Program, Corn Program, and Rice Program.
He also highlighted ATI’s certification of Learning Sites for Agriculture, where farmers can learn updated technologies and practices within their communities. Moreover, he emphasized that high production alone is not enough to improve farmers’ income. Through the Farm Business School, ATI helps farmers manage their farms as businesses by encouraging value-adding, improving marketing strategies, and expanding market reach.
Furthermore, he encouraged farmers and stakeholders to coordinate with their Municipal Agriculture Office so that their needs can be properly endorsed and addressed by the concerned agencies.
Vice Mayor Arnado also highlighted the municipality’s “From Arms to Farms” Program, which aims to prevent the involvement of youth and other constituents in armed conflict by engaging them in agriculture. In his message, he shared that the program has contributed not only to peace and order in the municipality but also in the province and the region. He emphasized the continued promotion of organic agriculture in Kauswagan, dubbed “Organic Kauswagan,” recognizing the municipality as a pioneering organic municipality in the Philippines that sustains agriculture for future generations.
This activity reflects the strong support and dedication of partner agencies, including ATI-RTC X, to the initiatives of the LGU of Kauswagan in promoting a sustainable and inclusive agri-aqua sector.
With reports from Abdul Azis Y. Abdul Nasser.
