Toledo City hosts the First Central Visayas Corn Festival as a joint undertaking of the GMA corn Program of the Department of Agriculture, provincial governments of Bohol, Cebu, Oriental Negros and Siquijor, with the theme: “Improved Corn Productivity: For Better health and profitability in Central Visayas” (“Malanboong Pagmaisan: Alang sa Himsug ug Mauswagon nga Kabisay-an”)
             The festival features the following activities: Field Day and Field Tour; Fair and Exhibits; Technical For a and Symposia; Corn-based Contests; Launching “Corn For Better Health” Project;Pest Clinic; Post Harvest Clinic; Investment For a and Market Matching.
             Participants are the Corn Producers, Corn Consumers, Corn Industrial Users, Corn Processors, Corn Researchers, Corn Investors, Corn Input Suppliers, Corn Farm Implement Dealers and Fabricators.
             The Festival’s objective is to showcase and promote various uses of corn and its by-products and provide corn producers and buyers the proper venue to discuss relevant information especially on the recent updates of the regional corn industry.
             Aiming specifically to provide corn stakeholders updates on the latest techniques in corn production, post harvest handling and marketing.
             To forge a strong cooperation and understanding among all corn stakeholders especially on designing programs that will increase income of corn farmers, thereby alleviate poverty.
             Research shows that corn is the crop to watch in the next few years. Not only that it provides livelihood to a large number of people, it also becomes the staple for most of the population in Central Visayas.
             Recent world fossil fuel situation proves that the non-renewable fuel reserves is becoming scarce so that, experts are now redirecting their efforts in exploring other ways to solve this potential problem on fuel scarcity. Attention has been given to identifying alternative source of energy and one of the possible fuel sources is corn. Corn is a good source of alco-gas, a possible additive to gasoline fuel.
             Geographically, the Visayas areas have been identified as one of the corn eating regions of the country. Because of this, directives have been issued by the national government to encourage these regions to shift to producing white corn for food.
             Recently, a memorandum has been issued by the Department of Agriculture directing all DA units to serve corn at least once a week in food service facilities to be known as Corn health Day. The battle-cry of the project id “Eat Corn for a Healthy Lifestyle” This is part of the series of promotional activities initiated by the national government to encourage people to see the other uses of corn.
             Along this, the regional corn program of Central Visayas will conduct a Regional Corn Festival to promote corn as better alternative for rice as food source. The festival hopes to increase people’s awareness on the potential uses of corn as well as encourage farmers to produce quality corn grits for food.

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