Buy fresh, buy local!

Second of a four-part series

Being members of the local farming community for over 10 years should give us every reason to be proud of the legacy and success of the local food production industry. For not only has the local agriculture sector taken roots but, more importantly, makes its imprint in the Commonwealth’s overall economic development footprint. Our quest for a strong agriculture industry unmatched since the second World War calls for a fully functioning farmers’ cooperative enterprise, an idea that found early advocacy in a group of local Farmers Support Group formed back in 2009 with the land grant college at NMC; the group planned and executed NMC CREES-sponsored summit, which examined “Existing Agricultural Issues and Barriers and Market Opportunities” at the Saipan World Resort. Following the first agriculture summit, the idea for a cooperative advanced and moved beyond advocacy in the 2010 Department of Land and Natural Resources-sponsored second summit held at the Lao Lao Bay Resort, which focused on “Reviving a Sustainable Local Agricultural Industry in the CNMI.” The second summit brought in individuals who shared actual local case studies and local best practices in Rota, Tinian and Saipan.

Later on in January 2011, Saipan farmers presented the governor a petition to designate a local public market under the management of DLNR and use congressionally-designated funds earmarked by the CNMI delegate for the Garapan public market. In March that year, OIA, in partnership with the CNMI Department of Commerce, hosted an Economic Restoration Summit on “Industries for our Future.” Featured prominently was agriculture as an emerging industry in the CNMI. DLNR, in November 2011, also sponsored a conference at Fiesta Resort on “Strengthening Specialty Crops Competitiveness and Marketability.”

Seeing the active advocacy for agriculture in the CNMI, OIA awarded the CNMI $1 million through Commerce for workforce training and other economic enhancement programs: $46,000 was awarded to Sabalu in January 2012, in partnership with CREES to formally pursue a local cooperative business model for local farmers.

Today, two years following the most recent training on agriculture cooperative since 2009, our local farmers remain united, steadfast, and focused in helping the CNMI sustain our local food production industry beyond its initial subsistence capacity. The local farmers demonstrated their unity and resolve last week through the formation a CNMI Farmers Cooperative Association “to expand the economic opportunities for local farmers” that includes effectively managing freshness and quality appearance produce through value-added conversions and immediate use in restaurants and community kitchens. To be successful in this evolving industry requires that we move forward together with resolve and focus in a steady pace and direction. Sound bites through the spoken words no longer works, but words taken to the next level through bold steps and action make the visible difference and impact in advancing the agriculture sector as a viable local industry.

For our local farming industry to thrive and the local agricultural sector to remain a viable economic engine in the local economy requires steady and unwavering commitment to and support of local farmers through our ability and willingness to engage in “buy fresh, buy local” consumer culture, coupled by the community embracing this healthy dietary effort in buying and consuming fresh local produce, vegetables, fruits, value-agricultural products, local eggs, local beef and pork, locally grown tilapia and shrimp, local drinking water, local bread, local pastry, and local catch of the day.

In other words, we all need to march forward together to the beat of buying and eating fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and locally packaged agricultural value-added products and fresh marine catch. Our own local actions taken together will elevate the industry far and beyond subsistence farming, fishing, diary, and value-added products to production farming through small, family-operated, diversified farms, fishing, diary, and value-added products. This local production for local consumption model brings the CNMI closer to directly addressing our food security issue while nurturing a sustainable food production system at the same time.

To be continued

(By RAMON BLAS CAMACHO)

Ramon Blas Camacho is president of the Saipan Sabalu Farmers Association and chairman of the 2014 Saipan Agriculture Fair. This column was submitted celebration of Saipan’s 31st Agriculture Fair.