MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) targets seeding in Lanao Lake next month with five million fingerlings.
The move aims opening up livelihood opportunities including those affected by the armed conflict in Marawi City which is among areas bordering such water body, noted DA Secretary Emmanuel Pinol.
He said the planned seeding also seeks helping provide food for people.
"It's about poverty alleviation and food production," he said Tuesday at the first State of Philippine Fisheries and Aquaculture Summit in Metro Manila.
The seeding is likewise aligned with DA's bid to tap inland waters as alternative sources of protein, he noted.
Terrorists linked to the Maute group attacked Marawi City in May this year, setting off an armed conflict that ruined this capital of Lanao del Sur province.
Government is already preparing to rehabilitate Marawi after declaring this city liberated from terrorist influence.
The target seeding activity in Lanao Lake will be under DA's Balik Sigla sa Lawa at Ilog (BASIL) project.
Launched this year, DA said BASIL is a five-year program applying science in exploring natural productivity of lakes and reservoirs.
DA noted BASIL aims to distribute, before the present administration's term ends, some 210 million fingerlings in seven major lakes and six river basins nationwide.
These are Laguna, Taal, Naujan, Sebu, Mainit, Buluan and Lanao lakes as well as Cagayan, Bicol, Abra, Pampanga, Agusan and Mindanao river basins.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the Philippine fisheries sub-sector registered – third quarter of 2017 -- a 4.27-percent decline in its output.
Stakeholders concerned mainly attributed such decline to the onslaught of the annual southwest monsoon or 'habagat'.
Pinol urged stakeholders to inform DA about their concerns and suggestions -- including those on fishery production amidst 'habagat' onslaught -- the o government can adapt appropriate measures to address these and to boost Philippine fisheries.
"We aim (to) build the foundation for a long-term fisheries industry in the country," he said.
Richness of natural resources in the country augurs well for such industry's establishment, he noted.
Philippine fisheries production volume during the third quarter of 2017 accounted for 17.40 percent of the country's total agricultural output.
Agriculture grew by 2.32 percent during 2017's third quarter. (CJT/PNA) NOVEMBER 2017
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