DAVAO CITY — This year’s Davao Agri-Trade Expo will promote the planting of so-called “golden crops,” which include cacao, coffee, coconut, corn, cassava, rice, banana, as well as bamboo.
“The reason we included bamboo is because it is an emerging crop and it is very easy to grow and it can grow in the hinterlands,” said John Carlo B. Tria, chair of the 2018 expo, which is set for Sept. 20-22.
Mr. Tria said while bamboo is mainly grown for use as a building material, furniture, crafts, and fiber, the organization aims to promote it as well for food.
Bamboo shoots are used in Asian cooking.
Focusing on the golden crops, he said, will help sustain the momentum of Mindanao’s economic growth.
He noted that in the last few years, key Mindanao regions have been exhibiting steady growth rates in their respective gross regional domestic products, with agriculture, fisheries and forestry still the major sectors.
“There is potential for agriculture to create wealth,” Mr. Tria said, if production is improved alongside sustainable practices.
The expo, which is on its 20th year, will also feature a conference on agricultural innovations to promote technological advancement to increase productivity.
The innovations, he said, cover not just farming techniques, but also agribusiness management, agri-tourism, and financing.
The expo will also tackle food security, support infrastructure, and efforts to get young people interested in farming. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

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