“We ensure you that when we go back home, we will try to follow the path you have here. We will tell, we learn it from Philippines in Calaca” – HE Patrick Achi

Earlier this year, the Mayor of Adzopé City, Madame Florence Achi, visited our city with her husband, former Prime Minister of Ivory Coast, His Excellency Patrick Jérôme Achi. They were here to learn and conduct research on the agriculture sector in our city.

The City Government of Calaca warmly welcomed the distinguished guests, including Philbert Seka, CEO of Global Rural Solutions, Nadege Chia Angbo, Director of Planning and Infrastructures in the La Me Region, and Dr. Venus G. Agustin, Vice Chairman of Universal Peace Federation, Asia Pacific. The City Agriculture Office, headed by Ms. Alicia Cabrera, coordinated with the Calaca City Global College Supervising Consultant, Dr. Raymund Arcega, and Dr. Dan Jefferson Lopez, OIC President, to ensure the success of this benchmarking.

During their visit, our guests took particular interest in our One Barangay, One Product program. They were impressed by the program’s concept and would like to implement a similar program in their own country. They were also enlightened by the new technologies we use in our agricultural processes. In exchange, they shared that 80% of their country’s farmers are youth. They believe that by encouraging younger people to take an interest in agriculture, they can preserve their agricultural lands and ensure that the basics of farming and agriculture remain alive even as urbanization arises.

Our guests’ knowledge and experiences have served as an inspiration to our fellow Calacazens. This benchmarking has shown that Calaca City is not only noticed and admired in the Philippines, but also in neighboring countries.Earlier this year, the Mayor of the City of Adzopé Madame Florence Achi together with her husband, former Prime Minister of Ivory Coast His Excellency Patrick Jérôme Achi paid a visit to learn and conduct research on the sector of agriculture in our city.

The City Government of Calaca reassured a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests such as Philbert Seka, CEO – Global Rural Solutions; Nadege Chia Angbo, Director – Planning and Infrastructures, La Me Region; and Dr. Venus G. Agustin, Vice Chairman – Universal Peace Federation, Asia Pacific. In coordination with the City Agriculture Office headed by Ms. Alicia Cabrera, the Calaca City Global College Supervising Consultant Dr. Raymund Arcega and Dr. Dan Jefferson Lopez, OIC President, this benchmarking has been a success.

One of the programs under the City Agriculture Office entitled “One Barangay, One Product” caught the attention of our guests. Considering the idea of it, they would love to make an agriculture program inspired from our very own. At the same time, they are enlightened from the new technologies being used to the process embodying it. As an exchange of ideas, they also shared that in their country, eighty (80%) of the farmers come from the youth sector. They set this standard because they want to let younger minds be opened to the sector of agriculture, and know the basics of farming and agriculture will remain as urbanization arises. They intend to preserve their agricultural lands by letting younger people take interest in it. This knowledge that the guests imparted will also serve as an inspiration to our fellow Calacazens.

This benchmarking only shows that Calaca City is being noticed and admired not just in the Philippines, but also in the neighboring countries.