Davao is next agri-tourism destination

Aug. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- Davao can become the next agri-tourism destination if Dabawenyos are able to develop their farms, subdivisions and idle lands with sustainable development in mind.

“Davao will become the next big thing in agri-tourism,” Dr. Roberto Puentespina, DVM of the Malagos Garden Resort said yesterday during a Farm Tour of the Puentespina Farm in Malagos.

Puentespina said the strong economic and peace and order situation in Davao makes it conducive for locals to enjoy farming. He said it is quite common for Dabawenyos to hold regular jobs in the city yet retire to small holding farms during the weekend.

“These weekend getaways can be an alternative and sustainable source of income for the family, and hopefully the community, since tourists enjoy buying fresh produce at source,” he said.

The Malagos Farm Fair in Davao City will showcase alternative and progressive ways to manage a farm.  

“We are maximizing our resources by implementing sustainable farm management methods. This means reusing and recycling our resources resulting to zero waste in the farm,” Puentespina said.

He said the Malagos Farm is a perfect example of sustainably managed farm since grass under the coconut and cacao are fed to the goats and cows, with their waste going to the biogas digester or the vermin composting to become fertilizer.

Industry partners will feature renewable energy, backyard farm animal raising, agro forestry using high value crops like cacao and many more.  
The Fair is also an occasion to sell the menagerie of farm animals the Puentespina Family grows including dairy goats, cows, sheep, cocks, horses, peacocks, pheasants, ostriches, fancy chickens, dogs, and ornamental birds among others..
“If Dabawenyos will be inspired by the Malagos Farm’s sustainable farming management then this might be a way to arouse the interest of tourists, even businessmen who want to see how it is successfully done,” he said.

Puentespina said the development of the city’s agri-tourism is a great addition to the already existing tourism products of the city. By making Davao the center of agri-tourism in the region, he said, “we hope to ride the growing worldwide interest on -going back to nature, doing it slow with less environmental impact, thus making Davao a better place to live in.”

For a P250 entrance fee per day inclusive of lunch of roast beef and sea bass from Saranggani Bay, guests to the Malagos Farm Fair will get the rare opportunity to get on board the hay ride for the farm tour. The entrance fee is also inclusive of all the scheduled seminars and shows for the day.

GET TICKETS NOW AT: Waling Flowers at Victoria Plaza and Bolcan St., Tiny Kitchen, Pizzeria, and Buona Terra along F Torres St., Girl Scouts Shop along Ponciano Reyes St., Betty's Bakeshop fronting Stella Maris Academy and at Swiss Deli and Spirale in Lanang, Davao City. Safe commute to and from Malagos by Aircon L300 jeep from Bankerohan Station at P50 only (one-way).

The Malagos Farm Fair 2010 Partners are: ANC, Coca-Cola, SMART Buddy, Philippine Airlines, Waling Flowers from Davao, San Miguel Beer, BMeg, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, Swiss Deli, Mars Incorporated, Habagat, Hydrock Wells Inc., DCTech, Propmech Green Heat, and Malagos Farmhouse.

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Malagos Garden Resort is a sustainably-managed farm in Malagos, Davao City. It aims to showcase alternative and progressive ways to manage a farm through the Malagos Farm Fair on August 7-8, 2010. The company predicts that Davao is set to become the next big thing in agri-tourism.