KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, May 22- The new Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council (RAFC) 12 chaiperson Eduardo Castin officially took the helm on May 15, 2020 after Department of Agriculture (DA) 12 Regional Executive Director Arlan Mangelen turned-over the key of responsibility to him.

In front of DA 12 employees and his fellow AFC chairmen all over the region, Castin accepted the pivotal role of a regional farmer-leader who will help the DA in securing collaboration with farmers in policy making and project monitoring.

Castin, the chairperson of the Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council (PAFC) of South Cotabato succeeded the late Dionisio Bautista who served the council for more than seven years.

The new RAFC chairperson has an outstanding career in agriculture. He served as a research assistant for Weed Science Unit of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) based in Los Banos, Laguna. He is also a member of the Weed Science Society of the Philippines and the Pests Management Council of the Philippines.

After retiring, he served as the Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council chair of Norala, and in 2014, he became the PAFC chair of South Cotabato.

"We need to spend life serving others next to Him (God) and our family," Castin said in his acceptance message.

As chair of the RAFC, Castin will facilitate the advisory bodies of the DA and the local government units to ensure the success of agricultural and fishery programs and projects in the region despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He will also lead as chair of the focal entity of government and private sector partnership for the continuing discussion of development problems, issues and concerns facing the agriculture and fisheries sector. (CULAguillon/RAFIS 12)