The Good Food Community (GFC), a group of Filipino advocates for sustainable farming and organic food, is holding an online gathering for rice farmers and rice lovers in the Philippines.
The online event called “Rice is Life: A virtual salu-salo” to be held on April 17, 2021, from 4:00 to 5:00 PM aims to pay tribute to the “hard work and ingenuity of our local rice farmers, share the challenges they face, and show how consumers can support them especially during this time of pandemic”.
“We’re putting rice in the spotlight as we gather our community for an online salu-salo to celebrate our hero staple, learn easy recipes, and understand the big issues affecting rice farmers and rice eaters–which is practically every Filipino!” the Good Food Community announced on social media.
The guest speakers who will grace the virtual salu-salo include Bea Misa Crisostomo, president of Global Seed Savers Philippines and Ritual & Slow Food Youth, and Dr. Charito Medina and Bonifacio Nazareno of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko Para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG).
The event is open for everyone and is free of charge. Participant slots are limited on Zoom but the discussion will be available on Good Food Community’s Facebook Live.
Voluntary contributions from the attendees are welcome. All donations made on the Good Food Community website are turned into Solidarity Shares that support the Pinagkaisang Lakas Ng Mamamayan’s (PLM) Kusinang Bayan in Payatas, Quezon City.
The Good Food Community started in 2011 and since then has been connecting small rural farmers and urban consumers in a model called Pamayanihan. It is where food producers and consumers share the rewards, risks, and responsibilities of food production.
Aside from Pamayanihan, the group has also been active in hosting activities such as farm work weekends, community dinners, food education talks, and tastings. All their events were moved online because of the pandemic.
Filipinos continuously display creativity in finding ways to ease the burden brought by the worldwide health and economic crisis.
Social enterprises Rural Rising Ph and RiceUp Farmers are helping Filipino farmers sell fresh produce to consumers through social media because of the limited public transportation and stricter quarantine measures.
The Maginhawa Community Pantry initiated by Ana Patricia Non of Quezon City is earning praise from Pinoy netizens for feeding those in need during the quarantine.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to Good Food Community as it celebrates the Filipino rice via a virtual salu-salo!
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