21/08/2026
๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐๐/๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ป๐ผ๐น๐ผ๐ด๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
Farmers, government officials, researchers, and industry stakeholders gathered at SEAFDEC/AQDโs Tigbauan Main Station on 8 July 2026 for the annual Farmersโ Forum, held as part of the Departmentโs 53rd anniversary celebration.
The forum featured presentations on feed development, good aquaculture practices (GAqP), seaweed propagation, and farm registration and certification.
SEAFDEC/AQD Chief Dan Baliao told the 167 participants that the forum is one of the ways for the organization to translate its research into practical technologies and services for farmers and other aquaculture stakeholders.
โFulfilling your need for aquaculture knowledge is the core purpose of SEAFDEC/AQDโs existence; quite simply, our work lacks meaning without your partnership,โ Baliao said.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต-๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐
One of the technologies presented was SEAFDEC/AQDโs feed development program. Mr. Joseph Biรฑas, supervisor of Feed Mill, explained that it follows a four-stage process: (1) feed formulation, (2) small-batch production, (3) biological evaluation through feeding trials, and (4) field verification under actual farming conditions.
The process allows researchers to evaluate growth, feed efficiency, and survival rates before a feed is recommended for use in farms.
Mr. Biรฑas also introduced the Departmentโs feed production facilities. The pilot-scale feed mill supports nutrition research by producing experimental diets for fish, crustaceans, and mollusks at capacities of up to 2.4 metric tons per day.
Meanwhile, the BFAR-SEAFDEC Aquaculture Feed Mill Facility can produce up to five metric tons of feed daily. It is currently developing more affordable grow-out feeds for milkfish and tilapia, which are expected to benefit around 6,240 fisherfolk each year.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
The forum also highlighted good aquaculture practices, with Dr. Edgar Amar, head of the Training and Information Division, discussing standards that promote food safety, animal health and welfare, environmental responsibility, and socio-economic accountability in grow-out farms.
He outlined practical measures that farmers can adopt to improve farm management and product traceability. These include using healthy broodstock and seed, properly storing feeds, responsibly applying veterinary drugs, maintaining farm records, and reducing environmental impacts.
Dr. Amar also walked participants through the stages of aquaculture certification. The process begins with farm registration, progresses to compliance with national standards, and can eventually open opportunities in export markets.
He also shared research showing that farmed milkfish generally contain very low levels of heavy metals, well below Philippine and European Union food safety limits. Tilapia and inland lake fish, however, may face localized contamination risks when raised in waters affected by industrial or agricultural runoff.
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
Building on the discussion of good aquaculture practices, Dr. Donnaciel Panado of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 6 (BFAR-6) encouraged fish farmers to register their farms through their local government units and join accredited fisherfolk organizations.
She said registration has become increasingly important for product traceability and market access. It also allows farmers to access government assistance more easily.
โIf you have a long-term and bigger ambition of exporting your goods, your products, you have to have your ponds comply with the good aquaculture practices,โ Dr. Panado said.
She added that fish processors are increasingly requiring registered suppliers to meet traceability requirements for export markets.
๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
The forum also featured SEAFDEC/AQD's efforts to help revive the country's seaweed industry through micropropagation. The tissue-culture technology produces healthier planting materials for eucheumatoid seaweeds used in carrageenan production.
Researcher Joseph Faisan Jr. explained that tissue-cultured planting materials offer an alternative to conventional cuttings. The cuttings are often affected by โice-iceโ disease and epiphytic algae which have contributed to declining seaweed production.
The use of tissue-cultured seaweeds is being implemented through the Joint Mission on Accelerated Nationwide Technology Transfer Program (JMANTTP), under a collaboration between SEAFDEC/AQD, the local government of Pandan in Antique, and BFAR Region 6.
Demonstration farms in Pandan and SEAFDEC/AQDโs Igang Marine Station in Guimaras have already distributed more than 2.16 metric tons of planting materials to farmers in Northern Iloilo. Another 50 kilograms have been provided to farmers in the Mimaropa region.
Mr. Faisan reported that the JMANTTP program also organizes farmer training courses and recently facilitated the publication of a seaweed farming manual.
!["๐ช๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ [๐๐ค๐] ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ...](https://img4.schoolandcollegelistings.com/019/065/1486413930190654.jpg)
