Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Receive Farm Machineries
Members of Tolentino Communal Irrigators Association (TCIA) jubilantly posed with PARPO II Felix C. Frias, CARPO John H. Gamad and MARPO Marlyn L. Manzures after receiving 1 unit of mobile rice mill and hand tractor.
General Santos City – Recipients of farm machineries and equipment (FMEs) expressed their gratitude to the government as the Department of Agrarian Reform-Sarangani conducted a series of turn-over ceremonies.
“Salamat gyud sa DAR sa pagsuporta sa amoang mga mang-uuma paagi sa paghatag nila ug mga ekwipo (We are thankful to DAR for supporting us through the provision of farm machineries and equipment),” said Benjamin Campaan, president of Big Margus og Cross Irrigators Association of Glan, Sarangani.
President of Badtasan Farmers Irrigators Association Danilo Balanon eagerly operated the new FME.
The farm implements, which include mobile rice mills, power tillers, rice threshers, hand tractors and corn shellers, will help the farmer-beneficiaries develop and sustain the productivity of their awarded lands.
Danilo Balanon, president of Badtasan Farmers Irrigators Association (BAFIA) from Kiamba said, “Sa mga ekwipo na natanggap namin, mapapabuti ang pagproseso ng mga palay kaya madadagdagan ang kita naming magsasaka, (With the farm equipment we received, there will be efficient processing of our rice and this will increase our income).”
Brgy. Badtasan, Kiamba barangay captain Gideon Lambagos poke about the economic advantage the members of BAFIA will soon experience with the additional FME they received.
About 500 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB) from Blat Farmers Association in Maasim, Tolentino Communal Irrigators Association in Glan, Biangan Irrigators Association and the two aforementioned ARB organizations benefitted from the project under DAR’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP).
Felix C. Frias, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II of DAR Sarangani emphasized during the ceremony that the 2-million-peso worth of project is intended to support the areas vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
“As we give these projects to you, we expect you to establish sound policies, systems and procedures in the usage and maintenance of the FMEs to keep them functional for a long period,” Frias added.
The farm machineries being prepared for delivery to the 4 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations in Sarangani.
John H. Gamad, Chief Agrarian Reform Officer for ARB Development & Support said, “The project, which includes capacity building and provision of FMEs, will help the organizations become hubs of support services to the ARBs thereby developing resiliency in the agrarian communities.”
Meanwhile, Barangay Captain Gideon Lambago of Barangay Badtasan, Kiamba sees economic opportunities for his constituents through this mechanization project. He said that more farmers will now have access to pre- and post-harvest facilities that will minimize wastage of farm produce. He is also hopeful that the members of the organization who work as mechanical operators will get additional income in the days to come.
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