SURIGAO NORTE AGRARIAN ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPLY FARM PRODUCE TO JAILS, HOSPITALS

Three agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) in Surigao del Norte have forged marketing contracts with government institutions under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) project through the provincial office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DTI) in Surigao del Norte.

The San Pedro Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (SPARBECO) of Alegria town has recently renewed its marketing contract with the Caraga Regional Hospital (CRH).

Under the said contract SPARBECO will supply the hospital with 10 sacks of well-milled rice every week for one year. Dionesia M. Gonzales of SPARBECO said that they are happy that CRH has renewed agreement and continued its patronage of their wellmilled rice and it meant that they will have a sure additional income for their farmer-members and the cooperative as a whole. Meanwhile, the Mabini Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (MABARBECO) of Surigao City forged a deal with the provincial office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the province for the former to provide the latter assorted vegetables for its detainees for a period of one year.

MABARBECO chairperson Resituto B. Tenazas, Jr. was delighted and said the agreement came at the right time, they do not have to worry anymore about where to sell their farm produce because they have a ready market.

The Villaflor Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries

Association (VARBA) of Gigaquit town has also signed a oneyear contract with the BJMP in Surigao City to source food from farmerbeneficiaries and supply their facility with assorted vegetables also.

Jenita P. Larong, chairperson of VARBA, thanked the management of DAR Surigao Norte for providing them the said opportunity even if their organization is still very young. “This contract served as a challenge for us to apply all the skills and learnings that we have acquired from our Farm Business School,” Larong said.

On her part, DAR-Surigao del Norte Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Maria Elizabeth L. de Guzman said the marketing agreements with the ARBOS and the institutional buyers will definitely help the agrarian farmers by boosting their household incomes while at the same time improving the provision of food in their detention centers and hospital.

Under EPAHP project, the DAR aimed to partner with different government agencies to provide assistance to its assisted agrarian organizations and farmer-beneficiaries through direct market linkages and access to programs and funding. (Daryll M. Tumbaga, DAR-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)