CARAGA FARMERS, FISHERS GET P160-M FINANCIAL AID, PROJECTS FROM DA

Caraga farmers, fishers get P160-M financial aid, projects

from DA Enhancement Fund - 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. 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.

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. “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 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

Association (FCA) was granted a working capital with a total amount of P9.7 million through the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain Program. This will equip the FCAs as a reliable food commodity supplier to sustainably operate Kadiwa Retail Stores in their locality.

Hauling and delivery activities is now easier to CARCANMADCARLAN Agri-based Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CAMPCO) in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur, Sumilihon-Taguibo Farmers Association in Butuan City, Bayugan Achievers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BAMPCO) in Bayugan City, and Local Government Unit of Cabadbaran City as each received one unit of refrigerated vans with a total amount P10.96 million.

BAMPCO Manager Grace P. Ostique said that the refrigerated van is a big help for the operations of their Organic Trading Post.

“We are excited to use the vehicle as this will help us reach more communities to offer our affordable and fresh produce,” said Ostique.

CAMPCO also received the Bangus Production and Marketing subproject amounting to P16.55 million under the DA-Philippine Rural Development Project Enterprise Component.

On top of that, to increase harvest efficiency among Caraga rice farmers the DA Chief also led the turnover of 14 units of recirculating dryers amounting to P37.3 million to Local Government Units (LGU) in the region. The facility will be operated by the LGU’s through their identified Farmers’ Cooperative and Associations (FCA).

The mobilization and empowerment of partners, the LGU’s and rice farmers with additional postharvest facilities are bound to contribute to greater profits and deliver quality rice to consumers.

The recipients of the recirculating dryers are the following LGUs: Municipality of San Agustin, Marihatag, Lanuza, Madrid, Hinatuan, San Miguel, Tago, and Bislig City in the Province of Surigao del Sur. The Municipality of Prosperidad, Bunawan, Rosario, Talacogon, and San Francisco in the Province of Agusan del Sur and Cabadbaran City. In addition, Kangyat MultiPurpose Cooperative, a corn clustered organization in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur will gain more benefits from the commodity’s value chain through the P3 million worth recirculating dryer with generator set funded by the DA’s Corn Program. The cooperative took part in the Bayanihan Agri Clusters and now reaping the various interventions from free seeds and farm inputs, financial, mechanization, and market support.

Moreover, Secretary Dar handed the check to 174 coconut farmers amounting to P848,535 in the region under the DA-Philippine Coconut Authority’s various projects.

Secretary Dar was assisted by Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Noel Reyes, DA-Caraga Regional Executive Director Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr., Regional Technical Director for Operations Rebecca R. Atega, Regional Technical Director for Research, Regulations, and ILD Nicandro M. Navia, Jr., Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago B. Cane, and other government officials in the distribution of the various projects. (DA-13/ PIA-Caraga)

DA chief leads distribution of P303-M agri assistance to Caraga farmers

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar led the distribution of P303 million worth of agricultural interventions to farmers in Caraga Region on Tuesday, December 7, in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Secretary Dar personally handed over P5,000 each to the 1,844 rice farmer-beneficiaries in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur worth P9.22 Million as part of the total Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) for Caraga Region amounting to P225,397,000. The fund, which comes from the excess tariff of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), aims to provide cash assistance to smallholder RSBSA-registered rice farmers tilling two hectares and below.

On top of that, the DA chief also led the turnover of projects funded under the Bayanihan II such as the 14 units of recirculating dryers amounting to P37.3 million to local government units (LGU) in the region under the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Inclusive Food Supply Chain Program.

The facility will be operated by the LGU’s through their identified Farmers Cooperative and Associations (FCAs) and aims to support rice farmers improve their capacity to dry their produce and facilitate marketing of farmers’ products to the National Food Authority and other buyers.

The LGUs set to receive the recirculating dryers are the Municipality of San Agustin, Marihatag,

Lanuza, Madrid, Hinatuan, San Miguel, Tago, and Bislig City in the Province of Surigao del Sur. The Municipality of Prosperidad, Bunawan, Rosario, Talacogon, and San Francisco in the Province of Agusan del Sur and Cabadbaran City are also included to benefit the facility.

Financial grants to serve as working capital worth P9.7 million were also turned over to 15 FCAs. Still under the Enhanced Kadiwa Program, it aims to support farmers in their enterprise in making food available in their communities, especially during this pandemic.

One LGU and three FCAs also received refrigerated vans totaling to P10.96 million. The said vans aim to help LGUs and farmers association improve their selling power by ensuring their fresh farm produce are transported to markets in the best of quality.

In addition, Kangyat Multi-Purpose Cooperative, a corn cluster organization in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur will gain more benefit from the commodity’s value chain through the P3 million worth recirculating dryer with generator set turned over by the DA’s Corn Program. The project aims to support the cooperative part of the Bayanihan Agri Clusters and improve their capacity to consolidate, process their produce, and market quality corn.

The DA-Philippine Rural Development Project under the Enterprise Component also turned over to CARCANMADCARLAN Agribased MultiPurpose Cooperative (CAMPCO) in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur a total of P16.55 million for their bangus production and marketing project to alleviate and improve the standard of living of fisherfolk-beneficiaries.

Moreover, Secretary Dar also led the check distribution worth P848,535 to 174 coconut farmers in the region under the DA-Philippine Coconut Authority’s various projects.

Secretary Dar was joined by DA-Caraga Regional Executive Director Ricardo M. Oñate, Jr., Regional Technical Director for Operations Rebecca R. Atega, Regional Technical Director for Research, Regulations, and ILD Nicandro M. Navia, Jr., Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago B. Cane, and other government officials in the distribution of the various projects. (DA-13/PIA Caraga)