NFA spearheads 2015 Grains Industry Week celebration

The National Food Authority (NFA) has lined up various activities during this year’s celebration of the Grains Industry Week, from Sept. 21-24 at the agency’s compound along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City. This year’s theme is “Seguridad sa Pagkain, Tungkulin Natin” and the week-long activities will involve the role of NFA stakeholders and their significance in the food security value chain.

A major highlight of the week-long celebration is the trade fair and exhibits that will be opened to the public. There will be 15 booths for NFA stakeholders from the regions across the country that will feature their own food and agricultural products for display and for sale to the public. Rice agencies and institutions, and agencies under the Office of the Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization (OPAFSAM) will also display their products and services in the exhibits.

There will also be a grains post-harvest machineries and equipment exhibit that will feature the latest technologies in farm machinery and equipment. This will be participated in by grains businessmen, particularly suppliers of equipment and machineries, and millers.

A photo exhibit shall feature the NFA’s history and current activities and reforms being undertaken.

The event shall also serve as the launch pad for the NFA’s Food Guardians campaign. The campaign aims to solicit one million volunteers to be Food Guardians of the 100 million Filipino population. Sign up booths shall be made available at the NFA Visayas compound and all NFA offices nationwide for this purpose. Volunteers shall have a selfie taken with the fansign: I am a FOOD GUARDIAN #1FOR100iNFAntry to be posted on the NFA facebook page (www. facebook.com/foodguardians).

Being a Food Guardian means helping the NFA make rice accessible, available, affordable, and safe for the public.

Other activities include: awards for NFA’s best stakeholders, oath taking and signing of the pledge of commitment of Food Guardians, dialogue with stakeholders to be led by OPAFSAM head, Sec. Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, and administrator Renan B. Dalisay, a feeding program to be conducted by the NFA-NCR office, the simultaneous lighting of the NFA signage nationwide, inauguration of the NFA Grains Library, stakeholders’ forums and seminars, and sports activities.

Throughout the week, a designated NFA warehouse across the country shall be opened to the public to communicate to stakeholders, the public, and the media the concept and importance of buffer stocking. Visitors will be briefed on NFA’s mandate of food security, focusing on the particular area’s consumption requirement and stock inventory. Photos may be taken inside the warehouse with the piles of rice as backdrop and uploaded in personal social media accounts with the hashtag #ingatyamanngpagkaingpilipino #nfaopenwarehouse.

A closing program on Sept. 24 shall be highlighted by the awarding and recognition of outstanding NFA employees.