BACOLOD City – Two pioneer farmers from Bago City, Negros Occidental are among the sponsored delegates representing the Philippines at the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, the largest global event organized by Slow Food International, currently taking place in Turin, Italy.
Senior Tourism Operations Officer Mae Ann Furtos, along with renowned cacao producer Cris Fadriga and organic farming advocate Gina Banowski, forms part of the Philippine delegation to the prestigious event.
Furtos said the journey that began in 2018 with efforts to promote sustainable tourism and agri-tourism in Bago City’s farming communities has now brought them to the international stage.
“We never imagined that our small steps towards establishing sustainable tourism would lead us here, representing Bago City at Terra Madre this year,” Furtos remarked. “It feels like a full circle moment, as it was also in September six years ago when we first introduced tour guides and operators to our local farm sites.”
Furtos shared that their long-term goal is to enable farmers to benefit from tourism through the creation of a farm tour circuit in Bago City. Their efforts include mapping local farms and offering training programs for farmers and farm workers in areas such as farm guiding, culinary skills, and food safety.
“This experience is surreal,” Furtos said, referring to the honor of having their local products, including Criollo Cacao and Pilipig, showcased at an event featuring 160 countries and over 3,000 delegates.
“It’s a strong affirmation of the unique richness of our food biodiversity, culinary heritage, and farming traditions,” she added.
The participation of Bago’s farmers in Terra Madre underscores the city’s growing presence in the global sustainable food movement./PN
