The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will mark the local celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDBD) on May 22 with a food fair showcasing organic, healthy and sustainable products derived from biological resources.

The event, dubbed as “Samu’tSaringTikim Fair,” seeks to raise awareness and appreciation on the importance of biodiversity as food source that leads to good health.
DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said the event fits well with the IDBD 2019 theme— “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health”—which focuses on biodiversity as foundation for food and health, and a key catalyst to transforming food systems and improving human health.

“This year’s celebration offers a timely reminder on the importance of effective management of the country’s rich biodiversity, especially when it comes to achieving food security,” Cimatu said.

He added: “As we observe IDBD, we are reminded of the limited resources we have as human beings when it comes to one of the top basic needs—food. We therefore continue to sustainably manage these limited resources for the benefit of our children and future generations.”

Organized by the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau, the “Tikim Fair” will be held on May 22 at the amphitheater of the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City.
The exhibitors include members of the Asosasyon ng mgaNagkakaisangMagkakapitbahay ng Palanas in Barangay Vasra, Quezon City; health and biodiversity advocates; select DENR and BMB staff; and media personnel.

The food fair will also feature a cook festival featuring demos with local food experts and a lecture on sustainable diet for Filipinos, traditional health practices, and a nature walk before lunchtime.

Two new books on biodiversity will also be launched: “Public Parks and Green Open Spaces,” a joint undertaking of the DENR and non-government organizationssuch as the Alliance for Safe, Sustainable, and Resilient Environments (ASSURE) and the Forest Foundation of the Philippines (FFP), and “Native Plants of Boracay Wetlands” by the Energy Development Corp and the BMB.

This year’s IDBD theme also celebrates the diversity of the species provided by the natural environment for human existence and well-being on earth, while contributing to achieve the other Sustainable Development Goals, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, ecosystems restoration, cleaner water and zero hunger, among others.

As a member country of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Philippines observes IDBD every May 22, the date when the United Nations proclaimed to raise understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. May 22 was chosen so as to commemorate the adoption of the CBD in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ###