Cotabato rice farmers volunteer to help develop Taraka ricefields
As the town of Taraka, Lanao del Sur prepares for the operationalization this month of six Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems, a group of Muslim and Christian farmers from Cotabato has volunteered to help prepare some 600-hectares of rice fields for planting and share their deep knowledge in rice farming to Maranao farmers. The volunteer farmers are products of the “Salam” Brotherhood Farming Program which I implemented when I was Governor of North Cotabato which involved technology transfer and sharing of farm experiences between the Muslim farmers of Pikit and the Christian farmers of M’lang and Tulunan, all municipalities of North Cotabato. When the program was introduced, the water from the Mal-Mar Irrigation System had flowed for the first time into the ricefields of Pikit, mostly owned
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| July 10-16, 2021
by Maguindanao farmers. The Muslim Maguindanao farmers were brought to the rice farms owned mostly by Christians in Mlang and Tulunan where they were exposed to modern rice farming. This was followed through with an immersion program of Christian rice farmers in the Muslim rice farming communities served by the Japanese-government-funded MAL-MAR Irrigation System. With the expected opening of the Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems in Taraka, I thought of reviving the “Salam Brotherhood Farming” Program where Muslim and Christian rice farmers from Cotabato would help Maranao rice farmers in preparing the ricefields in time for the opening of the SPIS units on July 29. The Mindanao Development
Authority (MinDA) which is helping the town of Taraka develop its rice farming industry through the use of SolarPowered Irrigation Systems will present the offer of help to Mayor Nashiba Sumagayan and the rice farmers of Taraka this week. MinDA will also assist the Taraka LGU in accessing funds for the acquisition of rice farming equipment, including a modern rice processing complex equipped with rice dryers. The concept of Complete Value Chain in rice farming which starts with the planting, harvesting, processing and marketing of the rice produce is being introduced by MinDA to Taraka LGU. This is aimed at helping Taraka rice farmers produce milled, packed and branded quality rice instead of selling their fresh paddy rice to traders.
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