DAR hands P17-M farm machineries, equipment to Agusan Sur farmers

San Francisco, Agusan del Sur- A day before Valentine’s, DAR Agusan del Sur showed love and warmth to the farmer-beneficiaries by giving them not the usual bouquet of flowers nor chocolates and teddy bears but millions of peso worth of Farm Machineries and Equipment (FME) at DAR Provincial Office, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.

“Dako gyud among pasalamat sa DAR sa pagsuporta sa amoang mga mang-uuma pinaagi sa paghatag nila ug mga ekwipo. (We are thankful to DAR for supporting us through the provision of these farm machineries and equipment),” said Emilia Eribal, Chairman of Kahugpungan sa Malahutayong Mag-uuma Para sa Ekonomikanhong Kalambuan (KAMMPE).

KAMMPE along with nine other Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) in five Municipalities of Agusan del Sur, Veruela, Trento, Bunawan, Sta. Josefa and Loreto were among the recipient ARBOs of the said FMEs amounting to a total of P17-M, of which P3.3-M is under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP) and P13.7-M is under the Project Convergence on Value Chain for Rural Growth and Empowerment (Project ConVERGE).

Maximo Gegato, Manager of Southern Agusan Seed Producers Cooperative (SASEPCO) said that with the farm equipment they received, there will be efficient processing of rice which would mean an increase in their income.

The ceremonial cutting of ribbon which signifies that the FMEs were formally turned- over was led by Undersecretary of Foreign Assisted and Special Project Office (FASPO) Bernie F. Cruz, Regional Director Leomides R. Villareal, Asst. Regional Director Daylinda Paz Narisma, Asst. Regional Director for Operations Agnes Dela Cerna, PARPO II Jamil P. Amatonding Jr. and PARPO II of Surigao del Sur Leoncio C. Bautista Jr.

“We always consider the welfare of our farmer-beneficiaries in consonance with President’s Duterte’s mandate to pursue a more aggressive and genuine agrarian reform program and ensure that you are provided with the needed support services to increase your household income,” Cruz said to the farmers.

He also added that with the cooperation of the ARBOs to take care of everything that the government had given is very vital for the improvement of their organizations.

Regional Director Leomides R. Villareal, in his message, emphasized that the department will always there to help the farmers become self-sufficient and sustain the productivity of their awarded lands.

Meanwhile, PARPO II Jamil P. Amatonding Jr. said that with the provision of these equipment, more than 3,000 farmers are expected to benefit from it.

“We are aiming to increase our reach in the years to come. We are also eyeing to resolve the problem of hunger in the province by linking our farmer’s produce to available institutional markets.” He added.

The signing of the Trust Agreement and Handing of the Certificate of Turn-over and Acceptance were also among the highlights of the day.

The Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project is a project of DAR intended to support the areas vulnerable to the impacts of climate change while the Convergence on Value Chain for Rural Growth and Empowerment (Project ConVERGE) is jointky funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of the Philippines (GOP).