DEPARTMENT OF Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar on Friday said the “eKadiwa” digital marketing platform that links farm producers to consumers will be the new normal for agricultural marketing.
In a Laging Handa virtual presser, Dar said the online shopping platform for local farm and fishery products leverages e-commerce during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“eKadiwa in agriculture and fisheries will be a new mechanism with which marketing or trading of agricultural produce will happen,” Dar said.
He noted that since the project launch this week, the department has received 300 inquiries on how to join.
Dar said the department would be using big data in agriculture to properly support policy and planning with relevant information.
“We are elevating our game even in digitalizing agriculture monitoring and evaluation,” he added.
The eKadiwa will be available initially via DA website with the URL eKadiwa.da.gov.ph using the web browser of their computers or mobile devices.
Dar earlier said the eKadiwa will be more accessible “very soon” through a stand-alone application that users can download and use on their mobile phones, tablets, and other mobile devices.
Under the memorandum of agreement (MOA) of the DA with agripreneurs AgriNurture Inc. (ANI), Zagana Inc., Benjabi Ventures Corp., and Mober Inc., agripreneurs will be allowed to sell various agriculture products, including vegetables, rice, and fruits at the suggested retail prices of these products.
"The official program partner-participant shall use or follow the suggested retail price (SRP) issued by the Department of Agriculture, and other government authorities, in the retail sales of covered agricultural and fishery products, such as but not limited to price freeze orders by government authorities," the MOA read.
The DA said the use of the online market portal is free of charge by its users and official program partner-participants.
"As such, payment for the sale of agricultural products shall be done directly to the official program partner-participant online seller, or logistics or delivery service provider," the MOA said.
The contract of exchange or sale and cost of logistics or delivery shall be between the online buyer and the official program partner-participant online seller, or delivery service company.
The DA said there are already 12,000 farmers benefiting from its new online program, which it had activated to help the agricultural sector and consumers cope with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. (By Filane Mikee Cervantes)
No comments:
Post a Comment