Caraga farmers, fishers get P160-M financial aid, projects Enhancement Fund from DA Rice Farmers Financial
Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) Program the DA Chief handed the Interventions Monitoring Card to the 1,844 Prosperidad rice farmers as they represent the 16,037 farmerbeneficiaries in the Province of Agusan del Sur.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) pushes to pursue an inclusive and holistic approach to accelerate the transformation of Philippine agriculture under the One DA Reform Agenda key strategies. In doing so, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar took the lead in the distribution of the P159.6 million financial assistance and agrifishery projects to Caraga farmers, fishers, and local government units (LGU) on Tuesday, December 7, in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.
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|December 11-17, 2021
“The agency envisions a food-secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fishers. To do this, all programs and projects are aligned to the four pillars of the OneDA Reform Agenda: Modernization, Consolidation, Industrialization, and Professionalization will be in partnership with the LGUs,” said Dar. Secretary Dar emphasized the vital role of the LGUs in increasing productivity and profitability at the local level through agri-fishery extension services. As the DA continues on its nationwide roll-out of the Rice Competitiveness
With a total amount of P81.3 million, eligible rice farmers tilling two hectares or less received P5,000 cash assistance that can augment farmers’ production needs. Elmer D. Boquil, a rice farmer in Barangay San Rafael, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur expressed his gratefulness for the RCEF-RFFA. “I will use the P5,000 cash assistance as additional working capital for my 1.5 hectares this cropping season. This is a big help for me,” said Boquil. Part of the key strategies is to intensify the postharvest, processing, logistics, and marketing support among the farmers and fishers. With this, fifteen Farmers’/ Fishers’ Cooperative and Caraga INFOCUS